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REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,  D.  D 

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PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


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First  Reformed  Church,  Philadelphia,  i747. 

See  page  23. 


A  HIST 


sfortrafc  |;|w4  m  fjPaklpljm* 


BY 


Rev.  David  Van  Horne. 


PUBLISHED    BY    REQUEST. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

REFORMED  CHURCH   PUBLICATION  BOARD, 

907  Arch  Street. 

1876. 


Grant,  Faires  &  Rodgers, 

Printers, 

5?  &  54  North  Sixth  Street. 


PREFACE 


The  substance  of  the  following  history  was  embraced 
in  two  discourses,  delivered  in  the  First  Reformed 
Church  of  Philadelphia,  on  Race  Street  below  Fourth 
Street,  on  Sunday,  July  2d,  1876,  at  the  hours  of  morning 
and  evening  service,  respectively.  The  occasion,  as  need 
hardly  be  stated,  was  the  celebration  of  the  One  Hun- 
dredth Anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  American 
Independence.  The  work  was  undertaken  in  compliance 
with  a  request  made  by  the  Church  Synods,  and  the 
National  Centennial  Commission,  that  the  various  Chris- 
tian congregations  should  make  account  of  the  occasion, 
by  preparing  sketches  of  their  past  histories,  as  a  suitable 
contribution  to  our  Centennial  celebration. 

There  seemed  to  be  a  special  fitness  for  the  attempt  in 
the  present  instance,  in  view  of  the  length  of  time  over 
which  the  history  ran — extending  almost  half  a  century 
into  the  ante-revolutionary  period.  The  location  of  this 
church,  within  hearing  distance  of  the  old  bell  that  rang 
out  the  peals  of  liberty  in  1776,  and  not  far  distant  from 
the  grounds  of  the  great  International  Exposition  of  1876, 
afforded  another  significant  reason  why  the  work  should 
be  undertaken. 

The  desire,  expressed  by  many  persons,  that  the  matter 
presented  should  be  thrown  into  a  printed  form  for 
preservation,   has  led  to  the   publication  of  this  little 


IV  PREFACE. 

volume.  The  history  is  divided  into  two  parts,  corre- 
sponding to  the  two  discourses ;  with  the  addition  of  the 
introductory  description  of  early  German  immigration, 
the  school  regulations,  and  the  sketch  of  the  church 
colonies.  The  work  is  now  given  to  the  public  with  the 
hope  that  it  may  be  useful  to  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer 
and  be  blessed  to  the  encouragement  of  the  congregation 
for  which  it  was  originally  prepared. 

The  work  of  preparation  has  not  been  performed 
without  difficulty.  Ancient  church  records,  and  a  con- 
fused mass  of  yellow  and  faded  parchments  and  papers 
with  German  hieroglyphics  upon  them,  presented  them- 
selves for  scrutiny,  and  the  effort  to  unravel  the  thread 
of  narrative  from  them,  was  like  the  search  for  the 
''lost  manuscript." 

But,  thanks  to  the  authors  of  Reformed  Church 
literature,  among  whom  Dr.  H.  Harbaugh  must  be 
first  mentioned,  and  to  brethren  who  kindly  gave  as- 
sistance by  suggestions,  and  aid  in  translating  the  docu- 
ments, the  work  in  this  brief  form  is  now  completed. 
Thanks  are  due,  and  are  hereby  tendered  to  Revs.  S.  R. 
Fisher,  D.  D.,  A.  Romich,  and  Messrs.  Thompson  Wes- 
cott,  J.  W.  Jordon,  I.  D.  Rupp,  Samuel  H.  Bibighaus, 
J.  G.  Alburger,  and  F.  E.  Vandersloot. 

Philadelphia,  October  /,  1876. 


CONTENTS 


PART   I 


Leaving  the  Fatherland 

Perils  by  Land  and  Sea 

Mr.  Weiss  organizes  the  Church  in  Philadelphia 

The  Ministry  of  Mr.  Boehm 

Mr.  Schlatter  Installed  as  Pastor, 

The  First  Church  Building 

The  Organization  of  the  First  Synod,  . 

The   Controversy   between    Mr.    Schlatter  and 

Steiner, 

The  First  Rival  Congregation, 

The  Ministry  of  Mr.  Steiner,     .... 

Ancient  School  Regulations, 

The  Ministry  and  Fall  of  Mr.  Rothenbiihler,    . 

The  Second  Rival  Congregation, 

Dr.  Weyberg  Installed  as  Pastor, 


Revolutionary  Incidents,  . 
Rev.  Mr.  Winkhaus  Installed  as  Pastor, 
Dr.  Hendel  succeeds  to  the  Pastorate, 
Second  Pestilence  of  Yellow  Fever, 
v 


Pagb 
•      7 


Mr. 


26 

28 
31 
32 
38 
40 

41 

42 

43 
47 
48 

49 


CONTENTS 


PART    II. 

Page. 

State  of  the  Congregation  in  1800 53 

Loyalty  of  Pastors  and  People,        ....  54 

Description  of  the  Second  Church  Building,        .         .  56 

Origin  of  the  Parochial  and  Sunday-Schools,    .         .  58 

The  Pastorate  of  Dr.  Helffenstein 63 

Troubles  in  Changing  to  the  English  Language,        .  64 

The  Party  in  Favor  of  English  Withdraw,  ...  5 

The  Germans  Withdraw 68 

Rev.  Mr.  Finney  Introduces  English  Exclusively,      .  71 

The  Old  Grave  Yard  in  Franklin  Square,         .        .  73 

Rev.  Mr.  Sprole  Installed  as  Pastor 76 

Pastorate  of  Dr.  Berg 77 

Prosperity  of  the  Church, 78 

Public   Debates 80 

Dr.  Berg's  Farewell 81 

The  Ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Reid 85 

Dr.  Bomberger  Installed  as  Pastor 85 

The  Tercentenary  Convention,          ....  86 

Reformed  Churches  in  Philadelphia  in  1876,         .        .  89 

Ecclesiastical  Connection  and  Retrospect,        .        .  94 

Concluding  Reflections 102 

vi 


PART   I 


A  HISTORY 

OF   THE 

Between  the  Years  IJ2J  and  1800. 


PSALM  77 :  5. 
:  I  have  considered  the  days  of  old,  the  years  of  ancient  times." 
,  3<$  benle  ber  olten  3eit/  i>ix  borigen  ^afire." 


Leaving  the  Fatherland. 

NEARLY  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago  when  Philadelphia  was  little  more 
than  a  frontier  village  on  the  borders  of 
that  primitive  forest,  that  stretched  from 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  to  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  great  unex- 
plored  prairies    of  the  West,   a   friendless 


8  HISTORY  OF  THE 

people  came  hither  seeking  to  establish  for 
themselves,  homes  in  the  Provinces  of 
North  America.  Far  from  their  fatherland, 
these  refugees  from  Germany,  Switzerland 
and  France,  landed  on  the  American  coast  to 
commence  anew  their  struggles  for  "life, 
liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness."  They 
were,  many  of  them,  victims  of  persecution. 
Driven  from  their  homes,  stripped  of  nearly 
all  their  possessions,  unacquainted  even 
with  the  language  spoken  in  the  New 
World,  they  began  their  patient  labors  for 
the  future,  with  only  their  trust  in  God,  and 
their  strong  arms  to  sustain  them.  No 
poet  has  yet  appeared  to  write  of  their  toils 
and  sacrifices,  and  tell  the  world  their  woes. 
All  the  history  that  we  have  of  them,  are  the 
colonial  records  giving  notice  of  their  ar- 
rival, and  a  few  letters  and  state  papers 
relating  to  their  settlements.  And  yet,  but 
few  people  have  undergone  greater  suffer- 
ings, or  sacrificed  more  for  their  religion. 

The  forefathers  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  the  United  States,  came  largely  from  the 
Palatinate,  a  district  of  Germany,  situated  in 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.         9 

the  middle  Rhine  region,  and  consequently 
on  the  borders  of  France.  From  the  dawn 
of  the  great  Reformation  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  this  people  had  adopted  the  Re- 
formed faith,  and  thus  were  marked  victims 
of  Romish  persecution.  And  as  their 
territory  lay  nearest  to  Rome,  of  all  the 
Protestant  Germanic  States,  the  heaviest 
blows  of  the  enemy  fell  upon  them.  Their 
fair  land  was  again  and  again  the  theatre  of 
desolating  war. 

In  former  years  they  had  befriended 
other  fugitives  from  Papal  persecution,  and 
this  may  have  caused  their  enemies  to  be 
more  cruel  and  relentless  in  their  attacks 
upon  them.  To  them,  the  French  Re- 
formed people  known  as  Huguenots,  had 
previously  fled  for  refuge,  when  Louis  XIV. 
followed  up  the  scenes  that  resulted  from 
the  St.  Bartholomew  massacre,  with  armies 
that  swept  over  the  land  to  exterminate  all 
the  people  who  would  not  bow  at  the  de- 
crees of  the  Pope.  When  in  1685,  the 
edict  of  Nantes  was  revoked,  the  furies  of 
desolating  war  were  again  let  loose,  and 


IO  HISTORY  OF  THE 

bloodshed  and  devastation  followed  in  their 
track.  Huguenots  and  Palatinates  alike 
were  at  last  forced  to  flee  before  the  perse- 
cutions ;  and  thus  friendless  and  homeless, 
they  came  to  this  asylum  of  the  oppressed. 

It  is  estimated  that  between  the  years  of 
1702  and  1727,  as  many  as  forty  or  fifty 
thousand  people  fled  from  the  district  where 
the  merciless  troops  of  Louis  XIV.  under 
Turenne,  were  burning  the  houses  and  de- 
stroying the  crops,  and  pursuing  the  in- 
habitants with  indiscriminate  slaughter. 
Stripped  of  everything,  masses  of  these 
refugees  made  their  way  to  England  and 
other  countries.  It  is  stated  that  in  July, 
1709,  there  arrived  at  London,  over  thirteen 
thousand  German  Protestants,  over  six 
thousand  of  whom  were  sent  by  the  Queen 
to  the  colonies  in  America. 

Perils  by  Land  and  Sea. 

One  colony  of  them  sent  by  Queen  Anne 
to  Schoharie,  N.  Y.,  in  1709,  endured  great 
sufferings  and  privations.  They  were  six 
months  on  the  voyage  to  New  York,  and 
seventeen  hundred  died  on  the  passage,  or 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.        II 

soon  after  landing.  Upon  removing  to 
Livingston  Manor,  near  Albany,  the  leaders 
of  the  colony  came  into  conflict  with  Gov- 
ernor Hunter,  who  had  employed  them  to 
raise  hemp  and  manufacture  tar,  to  repay 
the  English  government  for  their  transpor- 
tation. Late  in  the  Autumn  of  17 12,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  families  started  through 
the  forest  for  Schoharie,  some  sixty  miles 
distant.  They  were  soon  overtaken  with  a 
heavy  fall  of  snow,  and  as  they  had  no 
horses,  were  obliged  to  drag  their  effects 
on  rude  sleds  by  hand.  After  three  weeks 
of  toil  and  exposure,  they  arrived  at  the 
territory  granted  them  by  the  Queen,  and 
commenced  their  settlement.  But  after  ten 
years  of  hard  labor,  they  learned  that  there 
was  a  defect  in  their  titles,  and  they  lost 
both  land  and  improvements. 

In  the  Spring  of  1723,  thirty-three  fam- 
ilies under  the  lead  of  Conrad  Weiser, 
undertook  the  perilous  adventure  of  de- 
scending the  Susquehanna  river  on  rafts. 
No  record  remains  of  that  adventurous 
voyage.     The  imagination  alone  can  picture 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  scene.  On  the  swift  turbulent  waters, 
swollen  by  the  spring-rains,  their  rude  un- 
wieldy raft  sped  on.  Overhanging  them 
were  the  river  bluffs  covered  with  giant 
forest  trees,  or  deep  dark  thickets  in  whose 
unfriendly  recesses,  the  treacherous  savage, 
or  fierce  wild  beast  might  be  lurking  for 
their  prey. 

"  It  was  a  band  of  exiles  ;  a  raft  as  it  were  from  the  shipwrecked 
Nation,  scattered  along  the  coast,  now  floating  together, 
Bound  by  the  bonds  of  a  common  belief,  and  a  common  misfor- 
tune." 

Many  of  these  emigrants  fell  into  the 
hands  of  greedy  and  unscrupulous  specula- 
tors, who  consigned  them  to  ship  captains, 
to  be  crowded  into  the  holds  of  the  vessels 
in  immense  cargoes,  with  the  understanding 
that  they  were  to  be  stinted  in  food  on  the 
passage,  and  put  ashore  at  any  point  that 
might  be  most  convenient  to  their  landing. 
In  the  winter  of  173 1-2,  there  came  an 
appeal  directed  to  Rev.  Mr.  Weiss,  who 
was  then  supposed  to  be  at  Philadelphia, 
from  a  ship-load  of  these  ill-fated  immigrants 
who  had  sailed  from  Rotterdam  for  Phila- 
delphia.    They  had  been  half  starved  and 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       1 3 

plundered  by  a  Captain  Labb,  and  the 
details  of  their  treatment  on  the  vessel  are 
shocking  in  the  extreme.  They  were 
thankful  to  escape  with  their  lives,  and 
ended  their  narrative  with  these  words: 
"At  last  it  pleased  Almighty  God  to  send 
us  a  sloop,  which  brought  us  to  Homes 
Hole,  near  Martha's  Vineyard."  From  that 
point  they  wrote  for  aid  to  come  to  this 
city,  as  they  were  then  in  an  entirely  desti- 
tute condition. 

Another  colony  from  Germany  of  several 
thousand  persons  were  induced  to  leave 
their  homes  and  embark  for  the  fancied 
paradise  to  be  found  in  Louisiana.  They 
sailed  in  1716  or  17 17,  under  the  leadership 
of  the  notorious  John  Law,  who  instead  of 
bringing  them  immediately  on  their  arrival 
in  America  to  the  promised  Eden,  landed 
them  at  the  swamps  near  Mobile.  Here 
they  were  exposed,  without  protection 
against  many  foes  for  five  years.  Not  one 
of  them  entered  the  promised  paradise. 
Two  thousand  were  consigned  to  the  grave, 
and  only  about  three  hundred  of  the  sur- 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE 

vivors  reached  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
river  in  1722.     [Prof.  Rupp.] 

The  brief  notes  that  we  have  of  the  trials 
of  these  refugees,  remind  us  constantly  of 
Longfellow's  Acadians. 

"Far  asunder  on  separate  coasts,  the  Acadians  landed; 
Friendless,  homeless,  hopeless,  they  wandered  from  city  to  city," 
From  the  cold  lakes  of  the  North,  to  the  sultry  Southern  savanna. 

We  have  given  these  incidents  in  order 
to  show  the  trials  and  sufferings  endured  by 
the  people  who  composed  the  first  congre- 
gations of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in 
this  country.  Like  the  Pilgrim  fathers  at 
Plymouth,  they  came  to  brave  the  dangers 
of  the  wilderness,  .because  of  religious  per- 
secution. They  brought  their  German 
Bibles  and  hymn-books  with  them,  and  a 
clergyman  always  accompanied  them  when 
they  came  in  large  bodies. 

Yet  it  is  not  claimed  for  them  that  they 
were  always  in  the  right,  and  that  their 
opponents  were  always  intentionally  unjust. 
Many  of  their  severe  trials  in  America  came 
from  their  poverty,  and  the  fact  that  owing 
to  their  foreign  language  and  customs,  they 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN  PHILADELPHIA.       1 5 

were  frequently  misunderstood.  Misfor- 
tune too  may  have  made  them  somewhat 
stubborn  in  spirit,  and  troublesome  to  their 
English-speaking  neighbors.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  throw  the  mystery  and  charm  of 
romance  over  their  pitiable  condition.  They 
were  befriended  by  the  Hollanders  and  the 
English  on  many  occasions,  and  were  freely 
welcomed  to  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania. 
Yet  even  here  suspicions  were  aroused 
against  them,  when  they  came  in  such 
swarms  to  occupy  the  land,  and  they  were 
generally  pushed  out  upon  the  frontier  to 
cope  with  the  treacherous  savages;  and 
even  there  found  difficulty  in  securing  good 
titles  to  the  farms  they  had  cleared  from 
the  forest.  Added  to  this  misfortune,  was 
the  fact  that  many  of  them  were  bound  out 
to  service  for  a  term  of  years,  to  pay  for 
their  passages  across  the  ocean. 

Mr.  Weiss  Organizes  the  Church  in  Philadelphia. 

On  September  2 1st,  1727,  a  sloop  named 
"William  and  Sarah,"  containing  four  hun- 
dred of  these  German  immigrants,  anchored 


1 6  HISTORY  OF  THE 

in  the  Delaware  river,  here  at  Philadelphia. 
The  list  of  passengers,  as  registered  by  the 
government  officials,  is  headed  by  the  name 
George  Michael  Weiss,  V.  D.  M — i.  e.y  min- 
ister of  the  Word  of  God.  He  was  the 
first  minister  to  effect  an  organization  of 
the  German  Reformed  Church  in  this  city. 
We  have  no  means  of  arriving  at  the  exact 
date  of  the  organization,  but  from  the 
following  documents  it  is  evident  that  it 
could  not  have  been  earlier  than  1727, 
when  Mr.  Weiss  first  landed,  nor  later  than 
1729,  when  he  sailed  again  for  Europe. 

From  evidence  given  before  the  Chancery 
Court  of  Pa.,  on  Nov.  23,  1732,  by  seven 
responsible  witnesses,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing: "The  said  deponents,  under  oath  testify 
that  a  number  of  Germans  or  Palatines, 
had,  some  time  before  that,  formed  them- 
selves into  a  religious  congregation  in 
Philadelphia,  where  they  resided,  under  the 
care  of  George  Michael  Weiss,  a  Protestant 
minister  of  the  Reformed  Religion,  and  a 
native  of  Germany,  and  are  known  by  the 
name    of  the   German    Reformed    Church 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN  PHILADELPHIA.       I  7 

in  Philadelphia."  This  proves  that  Mr. 
Weiss  organized  this  congregation,  before 
the  date  of  the  deposition — 1732. 

We  have  also  an  old  letter  from  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Andrews,  Presbyterian  minister  of  this 
city,  dated  August  14,  1730,  bearing  on  the 
same  subject,  found  in  Hazzard's  Register, 
vol.  xv.,  p.  198.  He  writes:  "There  is  in 
this  province,  a  vast  number  of  Palatines,  and 
they  come  in  still  every  year.  Those  that 
have  come  of  late  years  are  mostly  Presby- 
terians, or  as  they  call  themselves,  Reformed. 
They  did  use  to  come  to  me  for  baptism, 
and  many  have  joined  with  us  in  the  other 
sacrament.  They  never  had  a  minister  till 
about  nine  years  ago,  who  is  a  bright  young 
man,  and  a  fine  scholar.  He  is  at  present 
absent,  being  gone  to  Holland,  to  get 
money  to  build  a  church  in  this  city." 
This  confirms  the  fact  stated  in  the  deposi- 
tion, that  Mr.  WTeiss,  the  young  minister 
referred  to  here,  organized  the  congregation ; 
but  Mr.  Andrews  seems  to  have  been  under 
a   mistake    in    stating   that  Mr.  Weiss  had 

been  here  nine  years  in  1730;  the  fact,  as 
2* 


1 8  HISTORY  OF  THE 

we  have  seen,  is  that  he  landed  here  in 
1727. 

We  have,  besides  these  papers,  another 
bearing  on  this  point,  published  as  a  notice 
in  the  Philadelphia  Mercury,  Feb.  3,  1729: 

"This  is  to  give  notice,  that  the  subscriber 
hereof,  being  desirous  to  be  as  generally  use- 
ful as  he  can  in  this  country,  (wherein  he  is 
a  stranger),  declares  his  willingness  to  teach 
Logic,  Natural  Philosophy,  Metaphysics, 
&c,  to  all  such  as  are  willing  to  learn. 
The  place  of  teaching  will  be  at  the  Widow 
Sprogel's  on  Second  street,  where  he  will 
attend,  if  he  has  encouragement,  three  times 
a  week,  for  that  exercise." 

Signed  by  G.  M., 
Minister  of  the  Reformed  Palatine  Church. 

From  this  it  appears  that  Mr.  Weiss  lived 
here  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1729,  and 
though  he  organized  a  congregation  named 
Skippach,  24  miles  out  of  the  city,  at  about 
the  same  time,  he  must  have  preached  here 
until  he  sailed  for  Europe,  to  collect  books 
and  funds    for   the   mission  churches.     As 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.       19 

he   sailed   in  this  same  year,  1729,  we  fix 
the  organization  here  at  the  year  1728. 

The  Miftistry  of  Mr.  Boehm. 

His  successor  in  this  congregation  was 
the  Rev.  John  Philip  Boehm,  who  arrived 
in  this  country  about  1726,  and  settled  in 
Whitpain  Township,  Montgomery  County, 
where  a  Reformed  Church,  bearing  his 
name,  is  now  located.  When  he  began  his 
ministry  here  this  congregation  had  no 
church-building,  but  worshiped  in  a  build- 
ing owned  by  one  Wm.  Allen.  Mr. 
Schlatter's  Church  Journal,  still  in  our 
possession,  gives  the  following:  "From 
November,  1734,  the  congregation  had 
worshiped  in  an  old,  small,  frame  house, 
alternating  each  Sabbath  with  the  Lutheran 
congregation.  But  after  the  Evangelicals 
(i.  e.  Lutherans,)  had  built  their  stone 
church  in  1744,  the  Reformed  worshiped 
alone,  and  paid  Wm.  Allen  the  sum  of  £4 
yearly,  for  the  above  named  church-house 
in  Arch  street,  adjacent  to  the  Quaker 
burial  ground."     Here  Mr.  Boehm  preached 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE 

one  Sabbath  in  each  month  in  this  old, 
small  frame  building,  on  Arch  street,  which 
tradition  reports  to  have  been  originally  a 
barn. 

Mr.  Boehm  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of 
untiring  energy,  as  well  as  of  good  abilities. 
He  soon  set  about  the  work  of  securing  a 
lot  for  the  location  of  a  new  church  build- 
ing, and  finally  fixed  upon  the  spot  where 
we  are  now  worshiping.  It  was  purchased 
for  the  congregation,  by  one  Peter  Wager, 
on  March  12,  1741,  and  contained  49^  feet 
on  Sassafras  (now  Race)  street,  by  204  feet 
in  depth,  being  the  Westerly  side  of  our 
present  church  grounds.  On  the  18th  of 
June  following,  Mr.  Boehm,  in  connection 
with  the  Elder,  Jacob  Siegel,  purchased  the 
lot  now  contained  in  the  N.  E.  corner  of 
Franklin  Square,  of  John  Penn,  Proprietary, 
in  trust  for,  and  for  the  use  of  the  German 
congregation  in  Philadelphia,  as  a  burying- 
ground.  The  price  paid  was  ^50 ;  and  five 
shillings  yearly  as  quit-rent. 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Boehm  was  involved 
in  an   unpleasant  controversy  with  Count 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       21 

Zinzendorf,  the  founder  of  the  Moravian 
Church,  in  this  country,  growing  out  of  the 
fact  of  the  joint  occupation  of  the  Wm. 
Allen  house,  by  the  Reformed  and  Lutherans. 
Many  of  the  Lutherans  desired  to  have  the 
Count  for  a  Pastor,  but  Mr.  Boehm  was 
regarded  as  unfavorable  to  the  arrangement, 
though  he  disclaimed  any  intention  of  speak- 
ing for  any  one  but  his  own  people.  The 
Count  withdrew,  in  1742,  with  34  of  his 
adherents,  and  formed  the  First  Moravian 
congregation,  on  Race  street  below  Third 
street.  The  spirit  of  controversy  subsisting 
between  the  two  ministers,  appears  never  to 
have  spread  through  their  respective  congre- 
gations, for  they  dwelt  here  on  Race  street,  as 
near  neighbors  for  many  years  subsequently, 
with  apparent  harmony  and  friendship. 

Mr.  Schlatter  installed  as  Pastor. 

Mr.  Boehm  continued  to  supply  the 
congregation  until  the  arrival  of  Rev. 
Michael  Schlatter,*  from  St.  Gall,  Switzer- 

*  In  his  Journal  he  writes  his  name  Slatter  ;  evidently  intend- 
ing this  orthography  for  English  readers  ;  but  we  have  here  followed 
the  original  Swiss  form  in  order  to  avoid  confusion. 


2  2  HISTORY  OF  THE 

land,  who  reached  Philadelphia  Sept.  6th, 

1746,  who  then  took  charge  of  the  church 
here.  He  was  sent,  at  his  own  request,  by 
the  Deputies  of  the  Synod  of  South  and 
North  Holland;  and  received  instructions 
from  them,  to  visit  the  various  German 
Reformed  congregations  in  the  provinces, 
to  organize  new  charges,  and  to  invite  the 
different  German  ministers  already  in  the 
field,  to  organize  themselves  into  a  Coetus. 
And  with  all  this,  he  was  at  the  same  time 
to  serve  in  a  charge  as  regular  pastor.  Mr. 
Schlatter  was  installed  upon  call  of  the 
congregation,  by  Mr.  Boehm,  on  Jan.  1st, 

1747,  as  regular  pastor  of  the  Philadelphia 
Reformed  Church.  And  it  is  to  his  lasting 
honor,  that  he  refused  to  receive  any  salary 
for  the  first  year,  "in  order,"  as  he  said, 
"  that  by  deed  I  might  convince  them  that  I 
did  not  serve  them  merely  for  the  sake  of 
my  bread."  The  congregation  then  num- 
bered about  100  members.  The  German- 
town  congregation  was  constituted  a  part  of 
the  Philadelphia  charge,  and  the  installation 
took  place  there  on  Feb.  15th,  following. 


REFORMED   CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       23 

The  new  pastor  took  pains  to  prepare 
church  records,  to  which  we  are  indebted 
for  many  facts  in  our  early  history.  The 
record,  now  in  our  possession,  commences 
on  April  6th,  1747,  giving  the  names  of 
pastor  and  consistory.  One  item  of  business 
transacted  was  as  follows:  "Action  was 
taken  to  remit  a  debt  of  £4,  due  the  church 
from  Mr.  John  Barger,  School-master  and 
Chorister,"  showing  that  they  had  already,  a 
parochial  school.  Another  meeting  was  held 
April  12,  to  provide  money  for  house  rent; 
and  another  on  Oct.  1st,  immediately  after 
which,  the  pastor  went  to  New  York  on  an 
interesting  errand,  already  foreshadowed  in 
the  provision  made  for  house  rent.  He  was 
married  to  Maria  Henrica  Schleidorn,  of  New 
York,  Oct.  nth,  1747.  The  newly  married 
couple  were  domiciled  upon  their  return,  in 
a  house  rented  of  Mr.  Wm.  Brentsen,  just 
opposite  the  new  church  here  on  Race  street. 

The  First  Church  Building. 

Under  the  date  of  Dec.  6th,  we  find  the 
following  entry  in  the  Church  Journal :  "'On 


24  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  Second  Advent  Sunday,  St.  Nicholas 
day,  the  writer  Michael  Schlatter,  minister 
here,  for  the  first  time  preached  in  the  new 
six-cornered  Reformed  Church,  in  the  Race 
place,  on  the  words  of  David,  in  the  65th 
Psalm,  5th  verse  (4th  in  the  English  Bible). 
But  the  church  was  not  yet  plastered,  and 
had  neither  gallery  nor  window."  And  yet 
in  mid-winter  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion were  worshiping  there — how  does  this 
comport  with  our  easy  church-going  ideas 
and  practices?  This  church  building  must 
have  been  of  very  quaint  appearance,  as 
shown  in  our  cut.  It  was  a  stone  or  brick 
structure,  hexagonal  in  form,  with  a  hipped- 
roof,  sloping  from  each  of  the  six  sides  to 
the  cupola.  The  cupola  was  also  hexagonal, 
with  an  arch-topped  narrow  window  in  each 
side.  Surmounting  this  was  a  ball,  pierced 
by  a  rod  projecting  to  quite  an  elevation, 
with  the  figure  of  a  cock  (the  usual  Holland 
symbol),  at  the  top,  as  a  vane.* 


*  In  Scull  and  Heap's  map  of  Philadelphia,  1753-4,  the  cupola 
is  shown  as  that  of  the  "  Dutch  Calvinistic  Church." 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       25 

The  Organization  of  the  First  Synod. 
The  Holland  authorities  had  instructed 
Mr.  Schlatter  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
organization  of  a  Coetus,  or  Synod.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  invited  Revs.  Weiss,  Bcehm, 
Reiger  and  Dorstius,  the  four  regular  Re- 
formed ministers  already  in  the  field,  to 
meet  here  in  Philadelphia  on  October  12, 
1746.  The  meeting  was  held  at  the  time, 
and  all  were  present,  except  Mr.  Dorstius, 
who  was  unable  to  come — they  had  never 
before  been  together,  though  some  of  them 
had  labored  in  the  various  settlements  for 
some  twenty  years.  They  drew  up  "articles 
of  peace,"  before  adjourning,  preliminary 
to  the  regular  organization  of  a  Coetus,  or 
Synod.  The  full  organization  of  the  Synod — 
the  first  regular  ecclesiastical  body,  higher 
than  a  consistory,  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church  in  this  country — took  place  here 
also.  On  September  29th,  1747,  thirty-one 
brethren,  including  elders,  convened  in  Mr. 
Schlatter's  house,  across  the  way,  from 
whence  at  9  o'clock,  A.  M.  they  proceded  to 
the  church,  where  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Reiger 
3 


26  HISTORY  OF  THE 

opened  the  Synod  with  a  sermon  founded 
on  the  133d  Psalm.  In  the  afternoon,  at  2 
o'clock,  the  first  business  session  was  com- 
menced— all  the  sessions  were  "  opened  with 
prayer  and  closed  with  thanksgiving."  The 
Second  Annual  Meeting  was  held  here  also 
the  year  following,  on  September  29th,  1 748. 

Controversy  between  Mr.  Schlatter  and  Mr.  Sterner. 

Hitherto  Mr.  Schlatter  had  met  with 
apparently  good  success  in  his  congrega- 
tion, but  the  year  following,  in  Sept.,  1749, 
a  minister  named  John  Conrad  Steiner, 
from  Europe,  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  with 
credentials  from  the  Holland  Church. 
He  was  destined  to  be  a  rival  to  Mr. 
Schlatter,  and  as  affairs  turned  out  was  a 
source  of  great  trouble  to  him.  Mr.  Schlatter, 
by  virtue  of  his  prominent  position,  had  re- 
commended Mr.Steiner  to  the  Reformed  con- 
gregation at  Lancaster,  who  gave  him  a  call 
without  having  heard  him  or  consulted  with 
him.  At  first  Mr.  Steiner  expressed  himself 
as  willing  to  go,  but  on  account  of  sickness 
in  his  family,  was  detained  for  a  time ;  when 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       27 

it  transpired  that  a  certain  part  of  this  con- 
gregation desired  to  have  him  as  their 
pastor  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Schlatter.  Mr. 
Steiner  seems  to  have  allowed  the  matter 
to  be  agitated,  and  for  this  has  been  very 
highly  censured  by  later  writers.  The 
matter  came  to  be  decided  by  vote,  and 
there  was  found  to  be  a  majority  in  favor  of 
Mr.  Steiner,  both  here  and  in  Germantown. 
A  controversy  ensued,  as  to  which  party 
should  have  possession  of  the  church  ;  and 
Mr.  Schlatter  at  one  time  concluded  to  leave, 
and  entered  the  pulpit  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching  his  farewell  sermon,  but  his  feel- 
ings overcame  him,  and  reading  Matt.  x.  14, 
he  left  the  church.  On  Jan.  14,  1750,  Mr. 
Steiner  and  his  friends  attempted  to  hold 
service  in  the  church,  when  Mr.  Schlatter 
and  his  friends  were  present,  when  some 
disputing  followed,  and  finally  both  parties 
adjourned,  leaving  the  key  with  the  civil 
authorities.  Finally  a  committee  was  chosen 
jointly  by  the  two  parties,  and  the  whole 
matter  referred  to  them,  and  they  reported 
in  favor  of  Mr.  Schlatter. 


28  HISTORY  OF  THE 

The  First  Rival  Congregation. 
This  ended  the  present  troubles,  and  the 
Steiner  party  removed ;  and,  according  to 
Prof.  Kalm  and  Mr.  Ritter,  they  erected  a 
new  church  building  on  Race  street,  below 
Third  street.  Prof.  Kalm,  who  was  here  at 
that  time,  writes  as  follows :  "  The  new  Re- 
formed Church  was  built  at  a  little  distance 
from  the  old  one  by  the  party  of  the  clergyman 
who  had  lost  his  cause.  This  man  however 
had  influence  enough  to  bring  over  to  his 
party  almost  the  whole  audience  of  his 
antagonist,  at  the  end  of  the  year  1750,  and 
therefore  this  new  church  will  soon  be 
useless."  Mr.  Ritter,  in  his  history  of  the 
Moravian  Church,  says :  "  This  building 
(Steiner's  Church?)  was  about  forty  feet 
square,  two  and  a  half  stories  high,  and 
supposed  to  be  the  first  German  Reformed 
Church  in  this  city.  It  was  purchased  and 
altered  into  two  dwellings  by  Mr.  Ball. 
Philip  Wager,  the  elder,  occupied  the  one 
as  a  bakery;  but  Mr.  John  R.  Baker  and 
Godfrey  Haga  afterwards  purchased  the 
property  and  raised  it  to  three  stories,  as  it 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       29 

now  stands  (1857),  and  lived  in  it."  Mr. 
Steiner  remained  with  the  opposition  con- 
gregation here  for  only  about  two  years, 
when,  for  lack  of  pecuniary  support,  he 
withdrew  and  served  the  congregation  at 
Germantown  for  some  three  years  longer. 

In  175 1  Mr.  Schlatter  returned  to  Europe 
to  solicit  funds,  and  if  possible  to  bring 
ministers  to  supply  the  growing  interests  of 
the  Germans  in  this  vicinity.  He  returned 
with  money,  and  also  brought  six  young 
men  who  were  ordained  in  Holland  for  the 
ministry.  Upon  his  return  here  Mr.  Schlatter 
entered  upon  his  pastoral  labors  again,  but 
the  friends  of  Mr.  Steiner  did  not  reunite  in 
the  old  church-work.  Finally  they  called 
Rev.  John  Caspar  Rubel  to  be  the  successor 
of  Mr.  Steiner — he  was  one  of  the  young 
men  who  came  with  Mr.  Schlatter — whether 
this  settlement  was  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  the  latter  is  not  known.  Both 
congregations  were  weak  in  their  separated 
condition,  and,  as  might  be  expected,  no 
great  prosperity  was  enjoyed  by  either.  At 
last,  in  1755,  the  matter  was  brought  to  the 

3* 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE 

attention  of  the  Synod,  and  an  attempt  was 
made  for  union  and  reconciliation.  An 
article  of  agreement  was  drawn  up  between 
Mr.  Schlatter  and  Mr.  Riibel  requiring  them 
both  to  resign  and  vacate  their  charges, 
which  both  signed.  They  preached  their 
farewell  sermons  on  April  27,  1755.  It  was 
supposed  that  the  two  congregations  here 
would  now  unite  and  call  some  minister 
who  had  no  record  in  the  case  of  their  past 
troubles. 

It  would  be  interesting,  if  time  permitted, 
to  follow  the  record  of  Mr.  Schlatter's  life 
further,  as  he  now  takes  leave  of  this,  his 
beloved  congregation.  But  time  forbids — 
one  incident  only  must  here  suffice.  When, 
in  September,  1777,  during  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  the  British  invaded  Germantown, 
Mr.  Schlatter  (who  had  before  this  been  a 
chaplain  in  the  American  army,  when  the 
conflict  took  place  at  Nova  Scotia  against 
the  French,)  was  residing  at  Chestnut  Hill. 
He  was  ordered  to  assume  his  duties  as 
chaplain  in  the  British  army — he  refused, 
because  he  sided  with  the  colonists ;  was 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       3 1 

arrested,  and  was  immediately  taken  to 
Philadelphia  and  imprisoned.  His  house 
on  Chestnut  Hill  was  entered  and  plundered 
by  British  soldiers.  They  broke  his  furniture, 
threw  his  sih-er-ware  into  the  well,  and  put 
his  papers  upon  a  pile  and  consumed  them. 
How  long  he  was  confined  in  prison  is  not 
known  ;  it  was  not  however  for  a  long  time. 
But  during  the  remainder  of  the  war  he  was 
loyal  to  the  American  cause,  and  his  sons 
served  in  our  army.  He  died  at  Chestnut 
Hill  in  the  Autumn  of  1790,  in  the  75th 
year  of  his  age.  His  ashes  lie  in  the  old 
Reformed  graveyard  in  Franklin  Square. 

The  Synod  recommended  to  the  united 
congregation  here,  after  the  resignation  of 
Revs.  Schlatter  and  Riibel,  that  they  secure 
the  Rev.  Wm.  Stoy  (one  of  the  six  young 
men  who  came  with  Mr.  Schlatter)  as  a 
supply.  He  was  anxious  to  remain  as  their 
regular  pastor,  but  was  not  acceptable  to 
them,  and  removed  in  a  little  over  one  year. 

The  Ministry  of  Mr.  Steiner. 
In   1759  the  united  congregation,  much 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  the  surprise  and  displeasure  of  the  mem- 
bers of  Synod,  who  were  not  consulted, 
called  for  their  pastor  the  Rev.  John  Conrad 
Steiner,  the  former  rival  of  Mr.  Schlatter. 
He  began  his  work  here  on  May  20th  of 
that  year,  and  continued  it  with  great 
acceptance  and  popularity  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  some  three  years  later.  We 
have  an  old  Mss.  of  his,  among  the  archives, 
giving  in  full  the  articles  of  school  regula- 
tion of  great  interest.  He  also  published  a 
volume  of  sermons  on  the  Second  Coming 
of  Christ,  marked  with  vigor  of  thought  and 
ability.  He  died  on  July  6th,  1762,  aged 
55  years,  6  months,  and  6  days.  His  ashes 
also  repose  in  the  old  Burying-ground  at 
Franklin  Square. 

Ancient  School  Regulations. 

The  following  is  a  translation  of  the 
School  Regulations,  drawn  up  by  Mr. 
Steiner,  about  the  year  1760,  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Race  street  Parochial  School, 
for  which  the  congregation  had  erected  a 
building  in    1753-4.     We  have  given  this 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       $3 

document  in  full,  and  with  care  as  to  its 
translation,  in  order  that  the  spirit  of  the 
German  Parochial  School  System,  may  be 
better  understood  by  us  English-speaking 
people.  The  contrast  between  the  warm 
Christian  sentiment  embodied  in  nearly  all 
these  articles,  and  our  falsely  negative 
position  on  Bible  reading  in  the  public 
schools,  must  be  apparent  to  all  readers. 

" School  Regulations  of  the  Reformed  Con- 
gregation in  Philadelphia."  When  well 
organized  Christian  congregations,  for  their 
upbuilding,  establish  schools,  it  is  very  im- 
portant to  have  competent  God-fearing  men 
for  teachers,  that  becoming  order  and 
propriety  may  be  observed.  On  this  account 
the  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  unanimously  agree 
to  do  all  in  their  power  for  the  welfare 
of  such  a  well-regulated  school,  and  for 
the  upbuilding  of  our  congregation,  that 
all  things  may  be  done  decently  and  in 
order.  The  following  article  is  made,  re- 
specting the  duty  of  the  teacher,  and  the 
amount  of  salary  he  is  to  receive.    He  must 


34  HISTORY  OF  THE 

be  possessed  of  the  following  accomplish- 
ments : 

First.  He  must  be  qualified  in  reading, 
writing,  arithmetic  and  singing — he  must 
undergo  an  examination  in  these  branches 
and  be  approved. 

Second.  He  must  be  one  that  takes  a  lively 
interest  in,  and  helps  to  build  up  the  Christian 
church;  and  must  be  also  a  God  fearing 
virtuous  man,  and  lead  an  exemplary  life 
and  must  himself  be  a  lover  of  the 
Word  of  God,  and  be  diligent  in  its  use  as 
much  as  possible,  among  the  children  in 
school;  and  he  must  set  a  good  example, 
especially  before  the  young  children,  and 
avoid  exhibitions  of  anger. 

Third.  He  shall  willingly  and  heartily 
seek  to  fulfill  the  duties  obligatory  upon 
him,  with  love  to  God  and  to  the  children  ; 
to  the  performance  of  which,  the  Lord  their 
Maker,  and  Jesus  their  Redeemer,  have  so 
strongly  bound  him. 

The  following  are  the  Duties  incumbent 
upon  the  school-master. 

First.  He  is  not  to  show  partiality  among 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       35 

the  children,  and  he  must  receive  them 
lovingly  and  without  distinction. 

Second.  He  must  teach  six  hours  per 
day — three  in  the  forenoon,  and  three  in  the 
afternoon — unless  the  number  of  the  schol- 
ars increases,  when  he  must  give  them 
more  time. 

Third.  He  must  be  judicious,  and  adapt 
himself  to  the  various  dispositions,  and 
gifts  of  the  children ;  and  exercise  patience, 
love,  and  gentleness,  as  much  as  possible, 
in  his  teaching,  that  he  may  win  their 
hearts,  and  work  with  blessing  among  them. 

Fourth.  He  shall  have  power  to  correct 
and  punish  the  children,  though  with  mod- 
eration and  forbearance,  without  animosity, 
or  passion,  or  anger ;  and  in  particular  he 
shall  not  treat  them  in  a  spiteful  manner, 
but  should  rather  consider  the  weakness  of 
the  children  ;  and  more  particularly  still  he 
must  refrain  from  all  vexatious,  abusive,  and 
disgraceful  language. 

Fifth.  He  shall  at  all  times  open  and 
close  his  school  with  a  hearty  prayer  to 
God  for  His  grace  and  blessing. 


36  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Sixth.  Besides  teaching  the  children  to 
read  and  write,  he  shall  also  train  them  to 
pray,  and  exhort  them  to  continue  the 
practice.  And  besides  teaching  them  the 
Lord's  Prayer  (Our  Father,  &c),  he  shall 
also  teach  them  the  articles  of  our  Christian 
faith,  the  Ten  Commandments,  and  several 
short,  edifying,  penitent  prayers,  as  well  as 
scriptural  passages — which  he  must  repeat 
to  them  and  impress  upon  their  attention. 
They  must  also  be  taught  to  live  a  Godly 
life ;  to  remember  their  Saviour,  and  to  be 
obedient  to  their  parents,  and  to  conduct 
themselves  in  a  becoming  manner,  especially 
in  receiving  proper  admonition. 

Seventh.  If  it  is  possible,  and  time  will 
permit,  he  should  sing  several  verses  with 
the  larger  children,  of  pieces  with  which 
they  are  acquainted,  and  continue  the 
practice  from  time  to  time,  in  order  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  art  of  singing. 

Eighth.  All  those  children  who  are  able 
to  read  shall  diligently  learn  the  Catechism 
by  heart ;  and  this  shall  be  strictly  followed 
up    until   they   are  able  to   recite   all   the 


REFORMED   CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       37 

questions  and  answers.  And  finally,  he 
shall  look  upon  the  Pastor  of  the  congre- 
gation as  the  principal  superintendent  of 
the  school,  and  acknowledge  him  as  such. 
All  complaints  against  the  teacher,  if 
any  arise,  shall  be  brought  before  the  minis- 
ter, and  be  subjected  to  his  advice  and 
counsel ;  who  shall  at  all  times  be  dignified, 
honorable  and  trustworthy,  living  in  peace 
and  friendship,  as  an  elder  and  member  in 
common  with  all  his  brethren;  so  that 
God's  kingdom  may  be  planted  more  and 
more  among  the  old  and  young,  and  the 
kingdom  of  Satan  be  obstructed  and  de- 
stroyed. 

Besides  the  above-mentioned  school  rules, 
the  school-master  obligates  himself,  in  the 
absence  of  the  minister,  or  in  case  of  his 
sickness  or  inability  to  preach,  that  he  will 
read  some  verses  of  Scripture,  &c,  to  the 
edification  of  the  congregation.  He  shall 
also  betheforesinger  (precentor,  or  chorister) 
and  organist,  and  during  the  services  all  is 
committed  unto  him. 

For  the  faithful  performance  of  the  fore- 
4 


38  HISTORY  OF  THE 

going  duties,  he  shall  receive  a  stipulated 
salary. 

First.  Each  child  shall  pay  five  shillings 
per  quarter  for  tuition.  But  in  case  the 
parents  are  poor,  the  Elders  may  pay  the 
teacher  three  shillings  out  of  the  church 
treasury. 

Second.  The  teacher  has  a  right  to  all 
parts  of  the  school-house  at  his  pleasure ; 
with  the  understanding,  however,  that  the 
upper  room  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the 
congregation,  in  case  they  need  the  same. 

TJiird.  The  congregation  shall  pay  the 
teacher  a  yearly  salary  of  £8.  The  teacher 
hereby  binds  himself  with  his  own  hand- 
writing and  signature  that  he  will,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  fulfill  these  duties  now  made 
obligatory  upon  him." 

The  Ministry  and  Fall  of  Mr.  Rothe?ibuhler. 

The  next  minister  who  served  this  charge 
was  the  Rev.  Frederick  Rothenbiihler.  He 
was  originally  from  Switzerland,  but  at  the 
time  that  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
this  charge,  July  30th,    1762,  was  settled 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IX  PHILADELPHIA.        2>9 

in  New  York.  His  call  provided  for  his 
preaching  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  on 
each  Sabbath,  and  for  a  lecture  from  him  each 
Thursday  evening.  He  was  to  administer 
the  Sacraments,  visit  the  sick,  catechise  the 
youth,  "and  by  all  his  acts  and  conversa- 
tion to  conduct  himself  as  it  becometh  a 
true  servant  of  Jesus  Christ."  In  this  last 
particular,  however,  he  failed,  for  it  seems 
that  he  was  intemperate.  The  Consis- 
tory, as  soon  as  they  had  proof  of  his 
guilt,  cited  him  before  them,  and  as  he  re- 
sented their  admonitions,  they  called  the 
leading  members  of  the  congregation  toge- 
ther, and  resolved  to  dismiss  him.  Mr. 
Rothenbiihler  had  a  few  friends  who  sus- 
tained him,  and  he  appealed  to  the  Synod, 
as  did  also  the  Consistory.  The  Synod  met 
on  May  6,  1763,  and  resolved  to  sustain  the 
Consistory,  on  condition,  that  they  give 
them  a  pledge  and  bond,  that  they  would, 
as  a  congregation,  forever  remain  in  union 
with  the  Synod.  This  bond  was  duly  exe- 
cuted. 


40  HISTORY  OF  THE 

The  Second  Rival  Congregatio7i. 

Mr.  Rothenbtihler,  with  his  friends,  then 
organized  an  independent  congregation, 
which  they  named  St.  George's,  and  in  1763 
took  up  a  lot  on  Fourth  Street  below  New 
Street,  with  a  view  of  erecting  a  church 
building.  The  building  was  to  be  fifty-five 
by  eighty-five  feet  in  size.  Its  cost  far  ex- 
ceeded their  calculations,  and  the  persons 
who  became  responsible  for  the  amount  ex- 
pended were  finally  thrown  into  the  debtors' 
prison.  When  their  acquaintances  inquired 
of  them,  as  they  looked  through  the  prison 
windows,  "For  what  were  you  put  in  jail?" 
they  replied,  "  For  building  a  church."  To 
go  to  jail  for  building  a  church  became  a 
proverb    in    the    City   of  Brotherly    Love. 

Their  building  was  sold  June  12th,  1770, 
to  one  Mr.  Hockley,  for  ^700,  and  two 
days  afterward  was  transferred  by  him  to 
Miles  Pennington,  a  Methodist,  for  ^500, 
in  which  connection  it  still  remains,  and  is 
now  known  as  St.  George's  M.  E.  Church 
on  Fourth  Street,  and  is  said  to  be  the  old- 
est organization  of  that  denomination  in  the 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.       41 

city.  Mr.  Rothenbiihler  died  with  fever,  and 
was  buried  in  Franklin  Square,  August  9th, 
1766,  and  his  congregation  disbanded  and 
separated. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Rothenbiihler 
from  this  church,  the  Consistory  held  a 
correspondence  with  Rev.  \Vm.  Otterbein, 
with  a  view  to  calling  him.  The  corres- 
pondence lasted  from  May  till  September, 
1763,  but  as  Mr.  Otterbein  was  slow  in 
reaching  a  conclusion,  it  was  dropped.  Mr. 
Otterbein's  letters  are  still  in  our  possession. 

Dr.  Weyberg  Installed  as  Pastor. 

The  choice  of  the  congregation  now  fell 
upon  a  most  worthy  and  eminent  minister 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  Rev.  Caspar 
Dietrich  Weyberg,  D.  D.,  who  was  then 
settled  at  Easton,  Pa.  He  was  a  Swiss  by 
birth,  educated  in  Europe,  and  came  to  this 
country  about  the  year  1762.  He  accepted 
the  call-  to  become  pastor  of  this  congrega- 
tion, and  entered  upon  his  duties  November 
13,  1763.  Many  are  the  evidences  of  the 
faithfulness  and  success  of  his  long  pastor- 


42  HISTORY   OF  THE 

ate  here.  The  church  now  enters  upon  a 
long  period  of  peace  and  prosperity,  a 
happy  contrast  to  the  times  of  trouble 
already  experienced.  He  found  about  two 
hundred  heads  of  families  belonging  to  the 
old  congregation,  and  proceeded  to  visit 
and  catechize  the  youth,  and  gather  in 
many  to  the  communion  of  the  church. 

The  Charter  and  Second  Church  Building. 

On  September  25,  1765,  the  charter  for 
the  congregation  was  obtained  from  John 
Penn,  a  descendant  of  the  original  William, 
under  which  we  are  still  acting.  The  affairs 
of  the  church  were  now  tending  to  great 
prosperity,  under  Dr.  Weyberg's  fruitful 
ministry ;  and  it  soon  became  apparent  that 
the  old  Hexagon  Church-building  was  too 
small  for  the  constantly  increasing  audiences. 
Accordingly  a  movement  was  undertaken 
for  a  new  and  more  commodious  house  of 
worship.  The  lot  lying  on  the  east  side  of  the 
old  church  had  been  purchased  of  Richard 
Hill  and  others,  on  June  26th,  1749,  some 
twenty  years  previously,  containing  60  feet 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.      43 

on  Race  street  by  138  in  depth — this  gave 
them  all  the  ground  out  to  Sterling  alley 
(Hillsdale  street),  with  a  frontage  on  Race 
street  of  109^  feet.  At  a  congregational 
meeting,  held  on  August  19th,  177 1 ,  it  was 
resolved  that  the  new  building  should  stand 
east  and  west,  and  be  90  feet  in  length  by 
65  feet  in  width.  In  1772  the  collection  of 
money  began,  and  in  the  following  year  an 
appeal  for  aid  was  forwarded  to  the  old 
mother  church  in  the  Palatinate.  A  copy 
of  this  document  is  still  in  our  possession. 
The  foundation  stone  was  laid  April  10th, 
1772,  and  the  corner-stone  on  the  28th  of  the 
same  month,  both  with  religious  services. 
And  on  May  1  st,  1 774,  the  new  church  was 
dedicated,  in  the  presence  of  the  Governor 
of  the  State,  English  and  Lutheran  ministers, 
and  a  large  assembly  of  people. 

Revolutionary  bicidcnts. 

And  now  the  clouds  of  war  began  to 
gather,  foretokening  the  Revolutionary 
struggle.  Dr.  Weyberg  from  the  first  was 
a  strong  friend  of  the  Colonists,  and  he  took 


44  HISTORY  OF  THE 

no  pains  to  conceal  his  sentiments.  And 
when  the  British  troops  entered  this  city, 
September,  1777,  and  began  what  is  known 
as  the  "Occupation,"  a  son  of  Weyberg's, 
who  stood  in  the  door  of  his  father's 
house,  shouted  as  the  troops  were  passing : 
"  Hurrah  for  General  Washington  !  "  To 
which  the  soldiers  replied,  in  muttered 
tones  :  "  You  rebel ! "  Dr.  Weyberg  took 
a  decided  stand  in  favor  of  the  patriotic 
efforts  which  were  made  by  his  countrymen 
to  assert  their  independence.  During  the 
"  Occupation"  he  preached  to  the  Hessians, 
who  thronged  to  hear  him  in  great  crowds. 
He  boldly  asserted  the  justice  of  the  Ameri- 
can cause,  and  bore  down  upon  the  wicked- 
ness of  their  oppressors  with  such  energy 
that  the  British  began  to  feel  the  effects  of 
his  fearless  appeals  in  the  daily  desertion  of 
their  Hessian  mercenaries.  In  order  to  put 
a  stop  to  his  preaching  they  threatened  his 
life,  and  threw  him  into  prison.  He  was, 
however,  soon  liberated."  Dr.  Berg  (from 
whom  the  above  statements  are  quoted) 
adds  :  "  I  have  been  assured  by  aged  mem- 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.      45 

bers  of  the  church  that  it  used  to  be 
confidently  affirmed  that  the  Hessians 
would  in  all  probability,  to  a  man,  have  left 
the  British  service  if  the  old  father  had  not 
been  silenced." 

On  September  26th,  1777,  during  the 
time  of  Dr.  Weyberg's  imprisonment,  the 
British  occupied  his  new  church  as  a  hospi- 
tal, and  greatly  injured  and  defaced  it.  On 
May  5th,  1779,  he  wrote  to  the  Classis  of 
Amsterdam  thus  :  "  Whilst  the  British  had 
this  town  in  possession  my  congregation 
was  scattered,  my  beautiful  church  was  torn 
up,  and  converted  into  a  hospital.  To  the 
members  who  still  remain  here  I  preach  in 
the  school-house.  At  the  present  time,  the 
people  are  returning  again,  and  take  pos- 
session of  their  dwellings;  still,  many,  from 
fear  of  the  British,  remain  in  the  country. 
On  the  other  hand,  however,  many  strangers 
have  moved  into  the  city,  so  that  my  con- 
gregation is  as  strong  again  as  it  was 
before."  The  first  sermon  he  preached, 
after  having  been  liberated,  was  from  the 
text,  Ps.  79 :  1  :  "  O  God !  the  heathen  are 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE 

come  into  thine  inheritance :  Thy  holy 
temple  have  they  denied."  Harbaugh,  Lives 
of  the  Fathers,  Vol.  II.,  p.  103.  Of  such 
stern  stuff  our  Revolutionary  fathers  were 
made — nothing  seemed  to  dampen  their 
enthusiasm,  nor  subdue  their  courage.  The 
cost  of  repairing  the  church  after  the  British 
vacated  it  was  $15,200. 

After  this,  Dr.  Weyberg  went  on  with 
his  ministry  here  with  that  calm  determina- 
tion that  was  characteristic  of  his  whole  life. 
He  was  accustomed  to  preach  the  truth 
with  great  plainness  to  his  congregation, 
and  often,  in  reproving  his  people  for  the 
wickedness  of  their  children,  would  say: 
"  The  apple  does  not  fall  far  from  the  tree." 
He  is  described  as  having  been  a  tall,  slim 
man,  with  a  powerful  voice,  always  carrying 
his  Bible  under  his  arm  when  on  his  way 
to  church. 

The  affection  with  which  Dr.  Weyberg 
was  regarded  by  his  people,  may  be  known 
by  the  sentiment  of  the  following  hymn, 
composed  and  sang  upon  the  occasion  of 
his  funeral : 


REFORMED   CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.     47 

"  These  hearts,  O  God,  are  rent  with  grief, 
Our  eyes  are  filled  with  tears — 
Thy  mourning  people  now  bereft 
Of  him  they  loved,  must  fly  to  Thee  ! 
O  Lord  !  our  pastor  is  no  more  ! 
Sealed  are  those  lips,  which  once 
Bade  sinners  turn  and  live — 
Weyberg,  who  meekly  bore  his  cross, 
And  gioried  in  the  shame,  and  did  not  shrink 
From  duty  when  it  brought  distress — 
Ah  !  he  has  left  us  never  to  return. 

******* 
Father,  farewell !     Thy  crown  be  bright 
Until  we  meet  in  realms  of  light." 

Translated  by  Dr.  Berg. 

He  died  on  August  2 1st,  1790,  having 
served  this  congregation  most  acceptably 
for  twenty-six  years.  His  remains  were 
also  buried  in  Franklin  Square. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Win/ihaus  Installed  as  Pastor. 

The  Race  street  congregation  called  for 
their  next  pastor  the  Rev.  John  Herman 
Winkhaus,  originally  from  Germany,  but 
at  the  time,  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church 
at  the  Trappe,  Montgomery  County,  Pa. 
He  preached  his  introductory  sermon  here 
on  Sept.  26th,  1790.  His  pastorate  was 
short,  though  not  without  good  fruits  and 
prosperity.     He  died  on  Oct,  3d,  1793,  in 


48  HISTORY  OF  THE 

his  35th  year,  of  yellow  fever,  which  pre- 
vailed during  that  season  so  fearfully  and 
fatally.  He  contracted  his  sickness  while 
visiting  Mr.  Schreiner,  the  School-master, 
who  subsequently,  also,  died  of  the  conta- 
gion. He  thus  fell  at  his  post  of  duty. 
His  remains  lie  in  Franklin  Square,  beside 
the  other  pastors. 

Dr.  Hendel  Succeeds  to  the  Pastorate. 
His  successor  was  the  Rev.  William 
Hendel,  D.D.,  who  was  a  native  of  the 
Palatinate,  but  had  preached  in  this  country 
for  some  years,  (like  the  others),  and  was 
far  advanced  in  life  when  he  began  his 
ministry  here  on  Feb.  9th,  1794.  He  too 
is  a  man  of  Revolutionary  honors.  During 
the  war,  he  frequently  visited  a  new  congre- 
gation in  the  Lykens  Valley,  and  was 
guarded  by  armed  men,  when  going  to 
the  place  where  he  was  to  preach — the 
guards  standing  at  the  door,  with  their 
arms  to  defend  him  from  the  Indians,  and 
accompanying  him  upon  his  return  home- 
ward.     Dr.    Hendel   was   a   father   whose 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.      49 

memory  is  very  precious  in  the  Reformed 
Church.  He  is  described  by  Dr.  Harbaugh, 
as  having  been  very  venerable  and  saintly 
in  appearance.  When  he  ministered  here, 
it  is  said;  "that  his  hair  was  long  and 
white,  his  countenance  serene  and  heavenly, 
and  his  whole  appearance  beautifully  ven 
erable  and  saintlike.  He  could  scarcely 
hold  the  hymn-book  in  his  trembling 
hands."  He  is  called  the  St.  John  of  the 
Reformed  Church.  And  any  one  who 
glances  at  his  hand-writing  in  our  records, 
will  see  that  he  was  exceedingly  tremulous. 
But  while  his  natural  force  was  somewhat 
abated,  his  courage  was  by  no  means  gone. 

Second  Pestilence  of  Yellow  Fever. 

A  second  time  the  pestilence  of  the 
yellow  fever  swept  over  the  city,  and  Dr. 
Hendel,  faithful  to  his  post  as  a  minister  of 
Christ  to  the  sick  and  dying,  at  last  fell,^a 
victim  to  the  deadly  contagion.  I  cannot 
forbear  quoting  the  words  of  Dr.  Berg, 
spoken  in  this  house  in  1839.  He  says: 
"  Some  of  you,  my  hearers,  well  remember 
5 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE 

that  season  of  panic  and  dismay,  when  our 
city  was,  for  a  time,  converted  into  a  Gol- 
gotha. You  remember  the  almost  deserted 
streets,  the  fearful  silence,  which  told  you 
that  the  pestilence  was  spreading  its  broad, 
dark  wings  over  the  habitation  of  men. 
You  can  recall  tl)e  hurried  preparation  for 
the  funeral.  .  .  Men  of  stout  hearts  were 
afraid  to  meet  the  coffins  that  were  to 
be  seen  in  every  street,  lest  the  deadly 
contagion  might  point  its  arrow  next  at 
them.  Most  of  the  pastors  of  the  churches 
had  left  their  people,  and  nearly  all  the 
wealthy  inhabitants  had  deserted  the  city." 
.  .  .  .  When  this  second  visit  of  the 
pestilence  came,  Dr.  Hendel  did  not  desert 
his  post.  He  was  with  the  sick :  his  place 
was  at  the  house  of  mourning.  The 
blessing  of  those  that  were  ready  to  perish 
came  upon  him,  until  he  could  visit  no 
more,  and  then,  he  was  soon  gathered  to 
his  fathers."  He  died  on  Sept.  29th,  1798, 
smitten  by  the  pestilence,  and  his  ashes 
repose  by  the  side  of  Steiner,  Weyberg  and 
Winkhaus,  in  Franklin  Square. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.      5 1 

What  thoughts  do  not  the  mention  of 
such  names  as  Weyberg,  Winkhaus,  and 
Hendel,  stir  within  us,  as  we  review  their 
acts  that  testify  of  their  faith  in  God,  their 
love  to  souls,  and  their  steadfast  continuance 
in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  even  with  the 
martyr  spirit!  But  like  St.  Paul,  these, too, 
have  "  fought  their  last  fight "  ;  they  are  long 
since  gone  to  their  heavenly  reward.  And 
as  we  stand  here,  watching  these  figures 
recede  from  our  vision  into  the  mighty  past, 
as  friends  stand  on  the  beach  and  look  after 
vessels  carrying  their  loved  ones  far  from 
their  sight  over  the  mighty  ocean,  we  can 
only  repeat  the  lines  of  the  pious  Dod- 
dridge : 

"  Our  fathers,  where  are  they, 

With  all  they  called  their  own? 
Their  joys  and  griefs,  and  hopes  and  cares, 

And  wealth  and  honor  gone ! 

God  of  our  fathers  hear, 

Thou  everlasting  Friend  ! 
While  we,  as  on  life's  utmost  verge 

Our  souls  to  Thee  commend. 

Of  all  the  pious  dead 

May  we  the  footsteps  trace, 
Till  with  them,  in  the  land  of  light, 

We  dwell  before  Thy  face." 


PART  II. 


A   HISTORY 

OF   THE 

J|$fontti&  vbfmrtf}  in  J  f]JTabeT}iIji(if 

Between  the  Years  1S00  and  i8j6. 


PSALM  4S  :  12,  13. 


"Walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  about  her;  tell  the  towers 
thereof.  Mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks,  consider  her  palaces;  that 
ye  may  tell  it  to  the  generation  following.'' 


State  of  the  Congregation  in  1S00. 

Before  tracing  the  history  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  Philadelphia,  into  the 
present  century,  we  would  do  well  to  pause 
and  note  the  important  features  of  the 
records  already  presented.  We  notice  that 
up  to  this  time,  (about  the  year  1S00),  there 
has  been  but  this  one  permanently  estab- 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE 

lished  German  Reformed  congregation  in 
the  city.  The  attempts  at  organizing  inde- 
pendent congregations  made  in  1750,  and 
in  1763,  were  both  failures. 

Loyalty  of  Pastors  and  People. 

We  may  also  recall  with  just  pride,  the 
thorough  loyalty  of  the  pastors  of  this 
congregation,  to  the  American  cause  in  the 
days  of  the  Revolution.  The  memory  of 
Schlatter  and  Weyberg,  may  well  be  cher- 
ished by  us  as  heroes  among  the  Revolu- 
tionary fathers,  who  suffered  the  spoiling  of 
their  goods,  and  the  imprisonment  of  their 
persons  for  their  loyalty  to  the  sacred  cause 
of  independence. 

And  that  the  members  of  this  congrega- 
tion sympathized  with  their  pastors,  in  their 
loyalty  to  the  American  cause,  is  proved 
from  the  fact,  that  at  least  on  two  occasions 
they  freely  opened  the  doors  of  their  church, 
for  memorial  services,  rendered  to  distin- 
guished officers  of  the  American  Army. 
The  first  occasion  was  upon  the  death 
of  Major  General  Richard  Montgomery,  of 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.      55 

Revolutionary  fame;  who  was  killed  on 
Dec.  31st,  1775,  in  the  famous  attack  upon 
the  city  of  Quebec.  At  a  meeting  held 
here,  in  the  Second  Church  building,  Dr. 
Weyberg,  pastor,  on  Feb.  19th,  1776,  Mr. 
William  Smith,  pronounced  a  Eulogy  on 
General  Montgomery.  At  that  time  the 
opinions  of  citizens  here  were  very  much 
divided,  on  the  subject  of  the  war,  and  no 
greater  proof  of  their  loyalty  to  the 
American  cause  could  be  given  by  pastor 
and  people,  than  the  opening  of  the  doors 
of  their  new  and  highly  prized  house  of 
worship,  for  this  purpose. 

The  other  occasion  alluded  to  was  a 
similar  meeting  held  here  upon  the  death 
of  General  Washington.  The  society  of 
the  Cincinnati,  founded  in  1783,  by  the 
officers  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  of 
which  General  Washington,  himself  was 
the  first  President,  met  to  commemorate  the 
death  of  the  fallen  chieftain.  The  meeting 
was  held  in  the  same  building,  then  stand- 
ing on  this  consecrated  place,  on  Feb.  22d, 
in  the   year    1800.     It   is    only  an    act   of 


56  HISTORY  OF  THE 

justice  on  our  part,  to  put  on  record  here 
in  this  centennial  year,  the  fact  of  the 
unswerving  loyalty  of  the  fathers  in  this 
church,  to  the  cause  of  our  country. 

This  century  opens  upon  our  history, 
with  the  church  and  school  in  most 
flourishing  condition.  The  large  church 
building  erected  here  in  1772,  in  which 
these  memorial  services  were  held,  then 
one  of  the  most  commodious  in  the  city 
was  filled  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  with 
devout  worshipers.  As  this  building  is 
distinctly  remembered  by  the  older  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation,  and  the  citizens 
in  the  neighborhood,  it  may  be  interesting 
to  give  here,  a  brief  description. 

Description  of  the  Second  Church  Building. 

It  is  described  as  having  been  a  large 
structure.  It  was  90  feet  long,  on  Race 
street,  with  large  double  doors  near  either 
end,  having  at  their  tops  a  very  heavy 
ornamental  coping.  A  low  brick  wall, 
covered  with  flat  stones,  ran  along  the  side- 
walk   in   front,   upon    which    was   an    iron 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       57 

railing  or  fence,  with  gates  located  at  the 
few  steps  fronting  either  entrance.  The 
building  was  of  brick ;  with  here  and  there 
a  brick  burned  black  and  glazed,  set  in  the 
wall  by  way  of  ornamentation,  as  is  now 
seen  in  many  of  our  older  buildings  still 
standing.  Between  the  doors  in  front  were 
two  windows,  with  corresponding  ones  in 
the  second  story,  for  lighting  the  gallery. 
The  East  gable  on  Sterling  alley,  had  two 
windows  below,  with  a  large  central  one  in 
the  second  story,  and  a  circular  one  in  the 
attic.  The  width  of  the  building  was  65 
feet,  and  its  height  42  feet.  In  the  rear  were 
two  doors  corresponding  to  those  in  front, 
between  which  was  located  the  high  pulpit 
with  its  spiral  staircase,  and  a  sounding- 
board,  projecting  over  the  head  of  the 
speaker. 

Directly  opposite,  in  the  front  gallery, 
was  the  organ,  where  the  choir  were  sta- 
tioned to  sing  the  German  hymns  and 
chorals.  The  ceiling  was  high  and  arched, 
the  gallery  broad  and  firmly  set,  and  the 
pews  above  and  below  deeply  seated  in  the 


58  HISTORY  OF  THE 

old-fashioned  style.  No  arrangements  were 
made  for  heating  the  building  until  Jan.  28, 
1788,  when  a  vote  was  taken  on  the  ques- 
tion, whether  the  congregation  should 
purchase  stoves  or  not.  It  resulted  in  10 
yeas  and  4  nays.  Accordingly,  on  the  29th 
December,  of  the  same  year,  two  stoves 
were  bought  and  placed  in  position  in  the 
church.  The  entrance  to  the  church  and 
the  school-house  yards,  was  by  Sterling 
alley,  to  which  the  Eastern  wall  of  the 
church  extended.  The  church-yard  was 
shaded  with  trees,  and  the  walks  paved 
with  brick ;  and  was  separated  by  a  fence 
from  the  school-house  yard,  in  which  there 
was  a  well  of  water. 

Origin  of  the  Parochial  and  Sunday-Schools. 

In  connection  with  the  subject  of  the 
Parochial  school-building,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered that  such  a  school  known  as  the  Charity 
or  Free  school,  had  been  sustained  almost 
from  the  date  of  our  organization.  The 
first  building  was  erected  in  1753-4,  and 
was  torn  down  to  give  place  to  the  larger 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.      59 

structure,  still  standing  in  the  rear  of  this 
house,  which  was  built  in  1796,  and  to 
which  Mr.  Helffenstein  refers  in  his  de- 
scription. 

The  united  interests  of  the  church  and 
its  parochial  school,  were  remembered  by 
the  legacies  of  many  of  the  fathers  and 
mothers  in  the  church,  who  died  between 
the  years  of  1762  and  1800.  It  is  by  this 
means  that  the  school  has  been  sustained 
for  so  many  years,  for  the  improvement  of 
the  intellect  and  morals,  and  the  culture  of 
religious  habit  and  devotion,  in  the  children 
of  the  congregation  and  neighborhood. 

As  a  matter  of  historical  record  it  may 
be  well  also  to  mention  the  fact,  that  the 
Sunday-school  of  this  church,  was  estab- 
lished on  April  14th,  1806,  and  opened 
with  40  scholars.  We  learn  this  from  the 
report  of  the  committee,  rendered  to  the 
Board  of  Corporation  in  the  month  of 
February,  1807. 

Rev.  Samuel  Helffenstein,  Jr.,  adds  this 
description  concerning  the  parochial  schools, 
and  the  church  and  mission  services.     "At 


60  HISTORY  OF  THE 

this  time  (about  the  year  1 800),  the  services 
on  Sabbath  were  held  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon,  and  the  weekly  lecture  on  Thurs- 
day evening.  Besides,  there  was  a  weekly 
evening  service  in  the  Northern  Liberties 
school-house,  alternately  supplied  by  the 
pastors  of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
churches.  And  there  was  also  occasional 
service  held,  particularly  during  the  holi- 
days, in  the  Kensington  school-house. 
Both  these  school-houses  were  supplied 
with  a  pulpit  in  a  reserved  part  of  the 
building;  and  were  under  the  special  control, 
and  were  the  property  of  the  two  churches, 
the  Reformed  owning  the  one  in  Kensing- 
ton. The  parochial  school-house,  more 
immediately  connected  with  the  Race 
Street  Church,  is  still  standing  in  the  rear 
of  the  church  edifice.  In  this  building  the 
weekly  lecture,  the  Sabbath-school  and 
vestry  meetings  were  held.  In  the  earlier 
history  of  the  church,  the  school-master 
and  the  sexton,  resided  in  the  spacious 
building  referred  to;  the  school-master,  in 
connection    with    his    own    proper   duties, 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.        6 1 

performed  also  the  duty  of  organist."  There 
are  many  persons  still  living,  who  can 
recall  the  pleasant  features  of  the  parochial 
school,  held  in  the  old  school-house  here 
when  father  Bibighaus  was  for  many  years 
the  school-master,  and  also  foresinger  in  the 
church.  Here,  during  his  long  pastorate, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Helffenstein,  had  many  stu- 
dents under  his  private  tuition,  studying  for 
the  ministry — at  least  twenty-seven  were 
thus  educated.  They  were  accustomed  to  sit 
under  the  pulpit,  in  the  chancel,  during  the 
church  services;  and  in  many  cases  were 
received  into  the  pastor's  home  as  regular 
members  of  the  family.  This  was,  in  that 
day,a  substitute  for  the  Theological  Seminary. 
A  singular  custom  of  stretching  a  chain 
across  the  street  in  front  of  the  church  dur- 
ing the  time  of  service,  in  order  that  there 
might  be  no  interruption  from  passing 
vehicles,  was  practiced  at  this  time,  and 
should  not  be  passed  over  without  notice. 
These  were  in  general,  the  local  features  of 
church  life  here  at  the  opening  of  the 
present  century. 
6 


62  HISTORY  OF  THE 

It  is  pleasant,  in  this  connection,  also,  to 
note  the  fact  that  a  fraternal  spirit  was  at  that 
time  cherished  between  the  members  of  this 
congregation,  and  the  old  German  Lutheran 
Church,  worshiping  at  Fourth  and  Cherry 
streets.  When  their  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  December,  1794,  our  Consistory 
took  action,  inviting  them  to  worship  in  the 
Reformed  Church  till  theirs  should  be 
rebuilt.  This  invitation  they  accepted,  and 
worshiped  here  for  nearly  two  years.  They 
acknowledged  the  courtesy  by  a  vote  of 
their  council,  passed  Nov.  17,  1796,  thank- 
ing the  Reformed  people  for  their  kindness, 
and  stating  that  their  new  church  would  be 
ready  for  occupation  Nov.  20th.  At  the 
same  time  our  congregation  raised  $500,  in 
their  aid,  while  engaged  in  the  erection  of 
their  own  new  school-building,  involving  on 
their  own  account  a  heavy  expense. 

The  influences,  and  changes  that  came 
with  the  life  of  the  new  Republic,  were  now 
to  be  experienced  by  the  German-speaking 
citizens.  The  "crown"  that  had  rested 
upon  the  old  organ,  since  its  construction,  as 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       6$ 

an  emblem  of  the  royal  power  to  which  the 
Colonists  were  subject  at  the  time  the 
church  was  erected,  was  now  by  vote  of 
consistory  removed,  and  the  emblem  of  the 
Republic,  the  "Federal  Eagle"  in  Aug.  1790, 
was  substituted  in  its  place.  And  the  spirit 
of  the  times  pointed  to  still  more  important 
changes  soon  to  follow. 

The  Pastorate  of  Dr.  Helffenstei7i. 

Rev.  Samuel  Helffenstein,  D.D.,  the  reg- 
ular successor  of  Mr.  Hendel,  was  elected 
as  pastor  here  on  January  14th,  1799,  "with 
a  promised  salary  of  .£300,  and  free  house 
as  parsonage."  The  house  that  he  occu- 
pied, during  his  entire  pastorate,  communi- 
cated with  the  church-yard,  but  fronted  on 
Fourth  street,  and  is  still  standing.  For 
some  four  years,  all  seems  to  have  gone  on 
well  with  the  congregation  and  their  new 
pastor,  who  ministered  exclusively  in  the 
German  language.  But  on  April  2d,  1804, 
a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  Consistory 
appointing  a  congregational  meeting  for  the 
8th  of  May  following,  to  test  the  sentiment 


64  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  the  people  on  the  question  of  having 
occasional  preaching  in  the  English  language. 

Troubles  in  Changing  to  the  English  Language. 

This  was  to  be  the  beginning  of  many- 
serious  troubles  in  the  congregation.  Next 
to  the  love  of  our  native  land,  we  all  cherish 
our  native  language.  And  as  the  German 
fathers  had  lost  their  inheritance  in  the 
Fatherland,  they  seemed  to  be  the  more 
tenacious  of  their  mother-tongue.  But  the 
inexorable  logic  of  events,  compelled  a 
decision,  and  so  the  vote  was  taken.  The 
result  was  almost  a  tie,  and  owing  to  some 
defects  in  the  mode  of  procedure  the  election 
was  declared  illegal. 

The  agitation  respecting  the  change  of 
language  continued,  and  various  petitions 
came  before  the  Consistory,  advocating  a 
change.  During  the  year  1805,  the  matter 
was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Synod, 
requesting  them  to  recommend  that  preach- 
ing in  the  English  language  be  allowed  on 
every  third  Sabbath,  "for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  do  not  understand  the  German." 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.       65 

On  July  9th,  1805,  a  motion  was  offered 
before  the  Consistory  as  follows :  "  Resolved, 
that  as  the  Board  of  Corporation  of  the 
Race  Street  Church,  and  in  conformity  to 
the  wish  of  Synod,  we  will  introduce 
the  English  language  into  our  services, 
before  the  congregation  shall  be  destroyed 
through  strife."  The  vote  was  taken,  re- 
sulting in  a  tie;  Dr.  Helffenstein,  the  pastor, 
voting  in  the  negative.  A  proposition  fol- 
lowed from  the  party  wishing  English 
services,  for  compromise;  but  all  efforts 
for  an  amicable  arrangement  for  the  use  of 
both  languages  seem  to  have  failed. 

The  Party  in  Favor  of  English    Withdraw. 

In  the  following  year,  1806,  those  who 
were  heartily  in  favor  of  the  English  lan- 
guage withdrew,  and  organized  themselves 
into  a  separate  congregation.  As  no  min- 
ister was  at  hand  from  the  German  Reformed 
connection,  to  serve  them  in  the  English 
language,  they  established  themselves  in 
Crown  street  in  1 808,  under  the  charge  of 

Rev.   James   K.   Burch,  a    minister  of  the 
6* 


66  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Presbyterian  Church.  They  finally  con- 
nected themselves  with  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  Church,  and  erected  the  building 
now  standing  on  the  West  side  of  Crown 
street,  opening  it  for  worship  in  1810.  Mr. 
Burch  was  followed  in  the  ministry  by  Revs. 
Joseph  Broadhead,  Jno.  Ludlow,  G.  R. 
Livingstone,  Dr.  Bethune  and  others.  It 
is  said,  that  ours  was  the  first  congregation 
in  the  German  Reformed  Church,  that  made 
the  attempt  to  change  from  the  German  to 
the  English  language.  However  this  may 
be,  it  is  evident  that  it  was  a  great  trial, 
almost  destroying  the  charge  before  it  was 
fully  accomplished. 

Though  matters  were  temporarily  re- 
lieved by  the  departure  of  the  English- 
speaking  portion  of  the  congregation  in 
1 806,  the  question  was  by  no  means  settled. 
As  the  years  sped  on,  the  good  old  German 
fathers  in  the  church  found  their  own  chil- 
dren, with  the  rising  generation  generally, 
inclining  toward  the  vernacular  of  the 
country  in  which  they  lived,  and  demanding 
that  services  be  rendered  in  English. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       67 

At  last  in  1817,  the  question  pressed 
itself  upon  the  attention  of  the  church  in  a 
new  form.  The  leaders  of  the  party  favor- 
able to  the  German,  succeeded  in  electing 
members  to  the  Board  of  Corporation,  in 
sympathy  with  their  views.  And  at  the 
same  time  they  came  to  the  conclusion 
(whether  justly  or  not  we  do  not  know), 
that  the  pastor,  Mr.  Helffenstein,  was  favor- 
able to  the  side  of  those  who  were  struggling 
to  secure  the  introduction  of  the  English. 
The  result  was  (as  stated  by  Mr.  Helffen- 
stein, Jr.),  that  they  took  summary  action 
in  the  Board  and  dismissed  him  from  the 
pastorate. 

Mr.  Helffenstein,  Jr.,  continues :  "  He  was 
accordingly  notified  that  his  services  were 
no  longer  required.  On  the  following 
Sabbath  he  went  as  usual  to  the  church, 
but  instead  of  ascending  the  pulpit,  took 
his  stand  before  the  altar,  and  gave  the 
congregation  an  account  of  what  the  corpo- 
ration had  done."  This  produced  strong 
expressions  of  sympathy,  with  the  pastor, 
on  the  part  his  friends  in  the  congregation. 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE 

"The  next  Sabbath  the  doors  of  the  church 
were  closed  by  the  corporation,  and  the 
congregation,  with  the  pastor,  met  for  some 
time  in  the  school-house  for  divine  service. 
In  the  meantime  an  appeal  was  taken  by 
the  pastor  and  congregation  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  before  which  the  case  was  argued  by 
the  ablest  counsel  in  the  city  on  both  sides. 
The  result  was  a  writ  of  mandamus,  com- 
manding the  corporation  to  open  the  church, 
and  give  the  pastor  possession  of  the  pulpit." 

The  Germans   Withdraw. 

"When  Mr.  Helffenstein  entered  his 
pulpit  on  the  following  Sabbath,  the  leader 
of  the  corporation  arose  and  said :  '  Come, 
my  brethren,  this  is  not  onr  minister}  when 
the  whole  party  left  the  church.  In  this 
they  followed  bad  advice,  it  is  said  given  by 
their  counsel-at-law,  as  it  rendered  it  very 
difficult  for  them  to  return  and  regain  their 
former  position."  It  will  be  remembered 
that  this  is  the  narrative  of  a  son  of  the 
pastor,  who  naturally  must  have  looked  at 
the  matter  from   an   interested  standpoint. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       69 

It  is  indeed  to  be  deplored,  that  churches 
are  sometimes  called  upon  to  pass  through 
such  great  difficulties,  because  the  members 
and  ministers  cannot  "see  eye  to  eye  and  lift 
up  the  voice  together."  But  the  changing  of 
language  was  a  real  difficulty,  and,  in  the 
nature  of  the  case,  would  lead  to  diver- 
gence, of  view  and  sentiment,  and  perhaps 
to  estrangement. 

The  result  of  the  withdrawal  of  the 
Germans  in  1817,  was  the  organization  of 
a  new  German  Church,  which  has  grown  in 
strength  and  has  sent  out  colonies,  and  is 
still  extending  its  efficiency  and  influence. 
They  first  met  and  worshiped  in  Old  Com- 
missioners' Hall,  on  Third  street,  and 
organized  under  the  name  of  Salem's  Re- 
formed Church,  in  Sept.  18 17,  with  6j 
members.  They  then  called  the  Rev. 
Frederick  William  Van  Der-Sloot,  Dec.  29, 
1 8 18,  under  whose  pastorate  they  erected 
the  old  church-building  in  St.  John  street, 
below  Green,  where,  afterwards,  Dr.  Bibig- 
haus,  (previously  school-master  and  chor- 
ister here),  ministered  with  great  faithfulness 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  acceptance  for  many  years.  In  the 
year  1873,  the  Salem's  congregation  erected 
the  fine  structure  at  Fairmount  avenue  and 
Fourth  street,  where  they  now  worship. 
Mr.  Helffenstein,  who  is  our  chief  authority 
for  this  part  of  our  narrative,  thus  continues 
in  the  Reformed  Church  Monthly,  June 
number,  1869:  "After  the  two  secessions 
stated,  and  the  introduction  of  an  alternate 
German  and  English  service,  the  Race 
Street  Church  continued  to  move  on  for 
some  years,  with  as  much  prosperity,  inter- 
nal and  external,  as  could  be  expected 
under  the  circumstances.  The  Sabbath 
service  was  encouragingly  attended,  the 
weekly  meetings  often  crowded,  and  many 
seasons  of  gracious  refreshment  unostenta- 
tiously enjoyed.  A  regular  meeting  for 
exhortation  and  prayer  was  kept  up  for 
many  years,  an  hour  before  the  morning 
and  evening  service  of  the  Sabbath,  con- 
ducted by  pious  laymen  and  others  in 
connection  with  the  church.  At  last,  how- 
ever, it  was  found  out,  that  no  church  in 
the    cities,    dependent     upon     the     native 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.        71 

population,  and  cut  off  from  increase  from 
abroad,  could  well  succeed  with  two 
languages  in  its  service. 

Mr.  Finney  Introduces  English  Exclusively. 

"  The  attempt  was  made  and  succeeded  in 
1828,  to  introduce  the  English  language  to 
the  entire  exclusion  of  the  German.  In 
this  connection  the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney, 
with  consent  of  the  pastor,  was  invited  to 
supply  the  pulpit  for  a  time,  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening  of  the  Sabbath.  The  result 
was,  the  church  was  disorganized;  and  the 
pastor,  who  had  expended  the  strength  of 
his  more  vigorous  days,  felt  it  his  duty  to 
resign  a  charge  he  had  held  so  many  years, 
and  served  through  so  many  difficulties." 

The  Rev.  Jacob  Helffenstein,  of  German- 
town,  in  explanation  of  the  statement  made 
here  that  the  church  was  disorganized, 
through  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Finney,  says,  that  the  contrast  between  the 
preaching  of  the  powerful  revivalist,  and 
the  plain  presentation  of  Gospel  truth,  by 
his  father,  who  was  then  far  advanced  in 
years,  brought  about  the  difficulty. 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Mr.  Finney,  in  his  autobiography  lately 
published,  makes  the  following  references 
to  his  services  here  in  1828.  "In  Race 
street  there  was  a  large  German  Church, 
the  pastor  of  which  was  a  Mr.  Helftenstein. 
The  elders  of  the  congregation,  together 
with  their  pastor,  requested  me  to  occupy 
their  pulpit.  Their  house  was  then,  I  think, 
the  largest  house  of  worship  in  the  city. 
It  was  always  crowded ;  and  it  was  said,  it 
seated  3,000  people,  when  the  house  was 
packed  and  the  aisles  were  filled.  There  I 
preached  statedly  for  many  months." 

The  pastoral  relation  between  Dr.  HelrTen- 
stein and  this  church  was  formally  dissolved 
on  April  1st,  1830,  but  the  old  father,  reluc- 
tant to  leave  the  pastorate  he  had  held  for 
over  thirty  years,  continued  to  perform  min- 
isterial acts  in  the  charge,  and  held  services 
for  a  time,  with  a  few  members  favorable  to 
him,  in  a  room  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and 
Vine  streets.  He  finally  removed  to  North 
Wales,  Montgomery  county,  where  he  died 
Oct.  17th,  1866,  aged  91  years  and  6  months. 
It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  no  ill  feeling 


REFORMED   CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.      73 

resulted  from  Father  Helffenstein's  removal. 
As  late  as  the  year  1852  or  '53,  he  filled 
this  pulpit  upon  invitation  of  the  congrega- 
tion. 

The  Old  Grave-yard  in  Franklin  Square. 

It  is  necessary  that  a  word  of  explanation 
should  be  given  here  respecting  the  old 
grave-yard  in  Franklin  Square.  The  city 
had  authorized  the  bringing  of  a  suit  against 
the  congregation,  to  eject  them  from  the 
premises,  in  order  that  the  ground  could  be 
thrown  into  a  public  square.  In  February, 
1 801,  the  Counsel  agreed  to  discontinue  the 
suit,  on  condition  that  the  congregation 
yield  to  the  city  all  parts  of  the  square  not 
used  for  interments ;  that  they  accept  a  lease 
from  the  city  for  those  parts  of  the  square 
on  which  interments  had  been  made,  but  for 
which  they  held  no  patent;  "and  that  they 
do  not  erect  buildings  on  the  lot  for  which 
they  have  a  patent,  and  length  of  possession 
shall  be  no  bar  to  city  rights." 

It  seems  that  the  Council  feared  that  the 
congregation  was  about  to  erect  a  church 
7 


74  HISTORY  OF  THE 

building  on  the  lot,  and  they  were  anxious 
to  prevent  it.  By  signing  this  agreement, 
which  was  done  in  August  following,  the 
congregation  lost  possession  of  much  ground 
that  had  been  occupied  from  time  to  time, 
adjacent  to  the  lines  of  their  original  patent. 
To  compensate  them  for  this,  an  Act  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature  of  Pa.,  the  next 
February,  granting  them  a  burying-ground 
of  lands  belonging  to  the  State  at  Seven- 
teenth and  Cherry  streets. 

As  yet  the  congregation  was  left  in  pos- 
session of  the  land  originally  granted  by 
John  Penn,  but  in  1835  the  City  Council  re- 
newed the  suit  to  wrest  this  consecrated 
place,  with  the  graves  of  the  former  min- 
isters and  members,  from  them.* 

The  Common  Council  passed  a  resolution 


*"  Directly  east  of  the  sparkling  jets,  a  few  feet  from  the  edge  of 
the  circular  gravel  walk,  under  the  green  sod,  lie  the  Revs.  Steiner 
and  Winkhaus,  and  Drs.  Weyberg  and  Hendel,  the  aged.  Directly 
north  of  this  spot,  about  midway  between  it  and  Vine  street,  lies 
Rev.  Michael  Schlatter ;  and  around  these  leaders  of  the  Lord's 
host,  far  and  near — a  silent  congregation  now  ! — sleep  thousands  of 
those  to  whom  they  once  ministered  the  holy  ordinances  of  the 
Church,  and  the  precious  instructions  and  consolations  of  the 
Gospel." — Harbaugh's  Life  of  Schlatter,  p.  3J7. 


REFORMED  CHURCH   IN   PHILADELPHIA.       75 

to  offer  them  $50,000  for  their  claim,  but 
the  Select  Council  refused  to  concur  in  the 
offer. 

The  case  was  then  referred  to  the  judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  for  decision,  who 
found  a  bill  of  indictment  against  the 
officers  of  the  church  for  thus  occupying 
a  portion  of  a  public  square,  and  com- 
manded them  to  remove  grave-stones  and 
fence,  and  pay  the  costs  of  court.  The 
church  officers  could  now  do  nothing  but 
submit,  and  the  grave-stones  were  laid  flat 
upon  the  graves,  and  the  whole  covered 
with  earth.  Two  years  afterward,  the  Coun- 
cil remitted  the  court  charges  and  granted 
the  sum  of  $5000  to  the  congregation,  on 
condition  that  they  relinquish  all  claim  to 
the  lot.  This  was  done,  and  the  money 
thus  obtained  was  used  for  the  construction 
of  the  vaults  in  the  present  church  lot.  The 
plea  made  use  of  by  the  Council  to  justify 
their  repeated  prosecutions,  was  that  this 
land  was  one  of  the  five  public  squares  origi- 
nally reserved  by  William  Penn  for  the  city, 
and  that  his  grandson,  John   Penn,  had  no 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE 

right  to  dispose  of  it  in  the  first  place.  All 
this  illustrates  the  truth  of  that  saying  that 
"  Corporations  have  no  souls." 

Mr.  Sprole  Installed  as  Pastor. 

The  regular  successor  of  Dr.  Helffenstein 
as  pastor  in  this  congregation  was  the  Rev. 
William  T.  Sprole,  a  minister  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  He  took  charge  on 
May  1st,  1832,  preaching  exclusively  in 
the  English  language.  He  seems  to  have 
been  a  vigorous  man,  and  earnest  in  his 
calling.  The  church  began  to  recover  from 
the  troubles  brought  on  by  the  change  of 
language,  and  the  records  show  a  good 
degree  of  prosperity. 

With  this  new  spirit  came  the  desire  for 
a  new  and  more  modern  house  of  worship, 
and  a  location  where  there  would  not  be  so 
great  annoyance  from  noises  in  the  street. 
The  old  church  was  accordingly  removed, 
and  the  present  structure  erected  (in  1837,) 
in  a  position  on  the  church  lot  further 
removed  from  the  sidewalk,  on  Race  street, 
along  which  the  broad  side  of  the  old  church 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.        77 

was  located.  Soon  after  the  completion  of 
this  building,  in  1837,  Mr.  Sprole  retired 
from  the  pastorate — his  last  communion 
record  is  dated  March  4th,  1837,  which  was 
Easter  Sunday,  the  day  on  which  this 
church  was  dedicated.  His  resignation  was 
handed  in  and  accepted  on  the  1st  of  July 
following. 

Pastorate  of  Dr.  Berg. 

The  regular  successor  of  Mr.  Sprole  in 
the  pastorate  of  this  church,  was  the  Rev. 
Joseph  F.  Berg,  D.D.,  well  known  to  most 
of  the  members  of  the  present  congregation. 
His  long  and  eventful  pastorate  here,  and 
the  preciousness  of  his  memory  to  many  of 
our  hearts,  makes  it  fitting  that  we  record 
here,  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life. 

He  was  born  in  the  year  1 8 1 2,  in  Antigua, 
one  of  the  West  India  Islands,  where  his 
father  was  located  as  a  missionary.  His 
parents  were  the  Rev.  Christian  Frederick, 
and  Hannah  Berg,  members  of  the  Mora- 
vian Church,  in  connection  with  which  he 
also  was  reared,  and  received  his  literary 

7* 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  theological  training.  His  early  educa- 
tion was  pursued  in  the  Moravian  schools 
in  England.  In  1825,  he  came  to  this 
country  and  continued  his  studies  at  the 
Moravian  school  at  Nazareth,  Pennsylvania. 
After  completing  the  same,  he  remained  in 
that  institution  a  few  years  as  Professor  of 
Chemistry.  In  1836,  having  received  a  call 
from  the  German  Reformed  Church  in 
Harrisburg,  Pa.,  he  appeared  before  Synod, 
and  requested  to  be  received  into  its  con- 
nection. His  application  being  sustained, 
he  was  received,  and,  on  the  evening  of 
Oct.  2d,  was  ordained  and  set  apart  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  He  remained  at 
Harrisburg  only  a  short  time,  when,  being 
appointed  to  a  professorship  in  Marshall 
College,  he  removed  to  Mercersburg,  Pa. 
He  remained  there  for  only  about  one  year, 
accepting  the  call  to  this  church,  and  enter- 
ing upon  his  duties  here  on  Nov.  19th,  1837. 

Prosperity  of  the  Church. 

The  peculiar  gifts  of  Dr.  Berg,  and  his 
warm-hearted    preaching    and     sociability 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       79 

among  the  people,  were  soon  appreciated. 
At  that  time  the  whole  district  of  the  city, 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  church,  was  filled  with 
private  residences.  The  new  church-build- 
ing was  soon  filled,  so  much  so,  that  the 
pastor  in  recording  the  communion  of  Sept. 
9th,  1838,  wrote:  "Hundreds  crowded  to 
their  places  at  the  feast,  and  the  Lord  was 
known  of  us  in  the  breaking  of  bread." 

On  Sept.  29th,  1839,  while  the  General 
Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  in 
session  here,  the  pastor  preached  a  historical 
sermon  entitled,  "Christian  Landmarks," 
afterward  published  in  a  small  Volume.  In 
February,  of  the  following  year,  mention  is 
made  of  the  fact  that  32  persons  were 
added  to  the  church,  and  it  is  added  "the 
revival  is  still  in  progress."  This  last  ex- 
pression refers  to  the  great  ingatherings 
that  took  place  here,  in  this  and  subsequent 
years,  in  connection  with  protracted  meet- 
ings, which  brought  vast  concourses  of 
people  together,  and  gave  prominence  to 
both  church  and  pastor.  In  the  same  year 
eighteen    members    of   the    Crown    Street 


80  HISTORY  OF;  THE 

Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  came  in  a  body, 
bringing  regular  letters  of  dismission,  and 
united  here. 

Public  Debates. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  Dr.  Berg 
held  an  argument  before  the  public,  with  a 
Mr.  Barker,  who  challenged  the  ministry  of 
this  city  to  meet  him  in  defence  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity;  against  which  he  pretended 
to  be  arrayed,  both  in  intellect  and  feeling. 
Many  of  the  ministers  here  urged  Dr.  Berg 
to  accept  the  challenge,  which  he  finally  did, 
and  met  the  man,  and  in  the  opinion  of 
persons  qualified  to  judge  of  the  arguments, 
vanquished  the  self-appointed  champion  of 
infidelity.  Mr.  Barker  was  subsequently 
converted  to  the  Christian  religion,  and  is 
said,  to  have  died  with  confession  of  earnest 
faith  in  all  its  promises. 

Dr.  Berg  also  delivered  a  series  of  lec- 
tures here  between  the  years  1 840  and  1 844, 
in  opposition  to  Roman  Catholicism,  which 
drew  together  vast  crowds  of  auditors. 
And  many  a  sharp  thrust  did  he  give  this 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN   PHILADELPHIA.      8 1 

"man  of  sin,"  as  he  was  accustomed  to  call 
it,  which  added  not  a  little  to  his  reputation 
as  a  polemical  speaker. 

Dr.  Bergs  Farewell. 

But  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  linger 
upon  the  details  of  Dr.  Berg's  pastorate 
longer;  we  must  pass  to  its  closing  scene. 
In  the  year  1852,  he  handed  his  resignation 
to  the  Board  of  Corporation,  and  it  was 
accepted.  His  farewell  sermon,  which  was 
preached  on  the  evening  of  March  14th, 
was  subsequently  printed,  and  from  it  we 
gain  the  following  particulars. 

In  his  introduction  he  says:  "I  do  not 
relinquish  this  pulpit,  which  I  have  occupied 
for  nearly  fifteen  years,  because  I  have  felt 
unable  to  maintain  my  position  among  you ; 
it  is  not  because  you  have,  as  a  congrega- 
tion, become  alienated  from  my  affections, 
that  I  come,  this  evening,  to  offer  my  last 
words  of  counsel  as  your  pastor,  and  to 
make  the  last  record  of  my  ministry  among 
you.  As  a  congregation,  in  my  official  and 
in  my  private  relations,  you  have  made  my 
abode  with  you  pleasant  and  happy 


82  HISTORY  OF  THE 

This  hour  is  one  to  which  I  have  looked 
forward  as  an  ordeal  of  no  ordinary  inten- 
sity. It  is  a  very  sore  trial  to  sunder  the 
ties  which  have  bound  me  to  you  for  the 
last  fifteen  years.  Yes,  I  avow  it;  this 
place  is  dear,  very  dear,  to  me." 

It  is  generally  known  that  Dr.  Berg  had, 
during  his  ministry  here,  become  involved 
in  an  unpleasant  controversy,  with  Rev.  Dr. 
John  W.  Nevin,  now  for  many  years  pro- 
fessor in  one  of  the  church's  institutions, 
on  the  doctrinal  issues  underlying  the  sub- 
ject of  Liturgical  worship.  This  was  the 
commencement  of  the  long  controversy 
that  has  agitated  the  Reformed  Church, 
even  to  the  present  time. 

To  this  he  makes  allusion  in  the  follow- 
ing paragraphs :  "  It  is  not  because  I  have 
embraced  doctrines  adverse  to  the  standards 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  that  I 
leave  my  ministerial  associates  and  my 
ecclesiastical  home." 

Referring  to  the  teachings  of  his  oppo- 
nent, he  says  :  "  You  know  that  I  protested 
against  them  in  their  incipiency.      And   I 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       8$ 

remember  with  gratitude  the  cordiality  with 
which  this  congregation  sustained  me,  when 
I  stood  in  the  painful  position  of  recording 
my  vote  in  solitary  opposition,  without  a 
single  voting  ministerial  associate  to  keep 
me  in  countenance  against  the  overwhelm- 
ing odds  by  which  the  new  doctrines  were 
sustained." 

Toward  the  conclusion  of  the  sermon 
he  says  :  "  Should  any  who  hear  me  wish 
to  know  where  an  old  friend  may  be  found, 
if  they  will  look  for  me  in  the  Gibraltar  of 
Protestantism,  the  old  church  of  Holland, 
which  has  always  been  true  to  her  history, 
and  firm  as  a  rock  in  support  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Reformation,  I  hope,  if  God 
permit,  to  find  rest  in  her  communion." 

The  intimation  given  in  this  paragraph 
was  carried  out  by  his  entering  the  ministry 
of  the  Reformed  Protestant  (Dutch)  Church. 
Some  years  before  this  a  congregation  was 
organized  in  this  city  known  as  the  Second 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  (under  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jacob  C.  Sears 
from    1825    to    1833),  which,  after  various 


84  HISTORY   OF  THE 

trials  and  discouragements,  was  com- 
pelled to  give  up  its  church  edifice  and 
suspend  its  services.  There  was,  however, 
a  fund  left  from  this  enterprise  amounting 
to  several  thousand  dollars,  reserved  for  the 
use  of  the  congregation  in  case  of  the 
renewal  of  their  work.  Dr.  Berg  availed 
himself  of  this  advantage,  and  revived  the 
organization,  thus  securing  the  fund.  Quite 
a  number  of  the  members  of  this  congrega- 
tion followed  him ;  and  the  movement 
resulted  in  the  reorganization  of  the  Second 
Reformed  (Dutch)  congregation,  and  the 
erection  of  the  church  edifice  on  Seventh 
street,  above  Brown,  where  the  congregation 
still  worships. 

In  1 86 1,  Dr.  Berg  was  elected  by  the 
General  Synod  of  his  church  to  the  posi- 
tion of  Professor  of  Didactic  and  Polemic 
Theology  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J.;  which  position  he 
accepted  and  held  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  July  20th,  187 1. 
It  is  pleasant  to  record  here,  as  in  the  case 
of  Dr.  Helffenstein,  that  Dr.  Berg  returned 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.      85 

to  this  charge,  where  he  held  a  tender  and 
life-long  attachment,  and  ministered  to  the 
congregation  as  a  supply  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  year  1870.  Thus,  in  the  evening 
of  his  days,  as  it  were  under  the  mellowing 
tints  of  life's  sunset,  he  came  back  to  his 
old  church,  and  friends,  to  tell,  as  he  was 
wont  to  do — 

"  With  earnest  tones,  and  grave, 
The  old,  old  story, 

Of  unseen  things  above, 
Of  Jesus  and  His  glory, 

Of  Jesus  and  His  love." 

The  Ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Reid. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Reid  succeeded  Dr. 

Berg,  as  regular  pastor  of  this  congregation, 

on  October  1st,  1852.    He  served  the  charge 

acceptably,  and  received  a  number  of  new 

members,   but    could    not    be    induced   to 

remain  for  any  great  length  of  time.     He 

retired    from   the  pastorate    August    31st, 

1854. 

Dr.  Bo?nberger  Installed  as  Pastor. 

He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  A. 
Bomberger,  D.  D.,  on  September  1st  of  the 
same  year.     The  incidents  of  his  long  pas- 
8 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE 

torate  here  are  fresh  in  the  memory  of 
nearly  all  the  members  of  this  church.  The 
increase  of  the  congregation  under  his  min- 
istry was  uniformly  encouraging;  and  in 
i860,  when  he  preached  an  anniversary 
sermon  (afterwards  published  under  the  title 
of  "Five  Years  at  the  Old  Race  Street 
Church"),  he  reported  that  211  members 
had  been  added  to  the  communion  under 
his  ministry. 

The  Tercentenary  Convention. 

An  event  of  importance  transpired  here 
during  Dr.  Bomberger's  pastorate,  that  is 
deserving  of  special  mention  in  this  history. 

The  Synods  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church  had  been  for  some  time  look- 
ing forward  to,  and  making  preparation 
for,  the  celebration  of  the  three  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  publication  of  the  Heid- 
elberg Catechism.  This  honored  confession 
of  faith,  the  doctrinal  standard  of  the  Re- 
formed Church,  was  first  sent  forth,  by 
Frederic  III.,  Elector  of  the  Palatinate,  on 
January   19th,   1563,  and  it  was  therefore 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       87 

resolved  to  commemorate  this  event  by  a 
Tercentenary  Convention.  The  Convention 
was  appointed  to  meet  in  this  church,  and 
assembled  here  on  Jan.  17th,  1863.  It  was 
a  large  and  interesting  assembly,  and  was 
handsomely  entertained  by  this  congrega- 
tion, under  the  direction  of  its  energetic 
pastor.  "  The  church  had  been  beautifully 
decorated  with  laurel  wreaths  and  festoons , 
and  presented  quite  a  holiday  aspect.  On 
one  side  of  the  pulpit,  encircled  with  a 
laurel  wreath,  was  the  date  *  1563/  and  on  the 
other,  '  1863,'  decorated  in  like  style."  The 
sessions  continued  for  nearly  one  week, 
during  which  time,  essays  and  addresses 
were  read  and  delivered,  which  have  since 
been  published  in  a  large  volume  named 
"Tercentenary  Monument."  The  whole 
occasion  marked  an  epoch  in  the  history  of 
this  branch  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and 
is  therefore  worthy  of  special  mention,  even 
in  this  brief  history. 

Dr.  Bomberger  retired  from  the  pastorate 
of  this  charge  on  April  1st,  1870,  having 
accepted  the  Presidency  of  Ursinus  College, 


88  F  HISTORY  OF  THE 

an  institution  then  just  organized,  over  the 
growing  success  of  which  he  still  presides, 
"  his  bow  abiding  in  strength,  and  the  arms 
of  his  hands  made  strong  by  the  hands  of 
the  Mighty  God  of  Jacob." 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  period  in 
the  history  of  this  congregation,  where 
all  the  facts  and  details  are  perfectly  well 
known  to  all  the  present  members.  It 
will  not  be  necessary  therefore  to  dwell 
upon  the  events  of  the  history  farther, 
except  merely  to  mention  the  time  when 
the  last  two  pastors  entered  upon  their 
pastoral  duties.  The  Rev.  Edwin  H.  Nevin, 
D.D.,  was  called  from  the  Second  Reformed 
Church  at  Lancaster,  to  this  charge,  about 
Jan.  1st,  1 87 1,  and  retired  on  May  1st, 
1875.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  present 
pastor  on  Nov.  14th,  of  the  same  year. 

And  now  the  pleasant  duty  of  tracing 
the  history  of  this  congregation  is  finished. 
There  are  those,  who  pretend  that  they  can 
find  no  pleasure  or  profit  in  dwelling  upon 
the  facts  and  events  that  belong  to  that 
mighty   past,    in   which   all   our   acts   and 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       89 

thoughts     are     gathered     for     permanent 
record. 

But  surely,  many  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive lessons  may  be  drawn,  even  from  the 
history  of  a  single  congregation.  And  the 
century  and  a  half  over  which  this  history 
extends,  with  the  actors  and  scenes  here 
described,  must  be  of  interest,  especially  to 
those  to  whom  the  interests  of  this  church 
are  now  entrusted  for  safe-keeping. 

Reformed  Churches  in  Philadelphia  in  1876. 

The  Race  Street  Congregation  may  be 
truthfully  named  the  mother  of  nearly  all 
the  Reformed  Churches  in  Philadelphia. 
As  a  suitable  conclusion  to  this  brief  history 
and  possibly  for  use  in  future  reference,  we 
will  name  the  different  Reformed  Churches 
in  this  city,  springing  from  us  immediately 
or  remotely,  with  dates  of  organization 
and  names  of  pastors,  as  nearly  as  we  have 
been  able  to  ascertain  them. 

Salem's  Reformed  Church  (German),  now 

worshiping    in    their    fine    church    edifice 

at  Fairmount   avenue   and   Fourth    street. 
8*^ 


90  HISTORY  OF  THE 

This  congregation  was  organized  in  Sep- 
tember, 1 8 17,  by  sixty-seven  German  mem- 
bers of  the  Race  Street  Church,  and  first 
worshiped  in  Old  Commissioners'  Hall,  on 
Third  street.  They  then  erected  a  church- 
building  in  St.  John  street,  below  Green 
street,  which  they  occupied  until  they 
removed  to  their  present  building  in  1873. 
Pastors :  Revs.  Frederick  W.  Van  Der  Sloot, 
Henry  Bibighaus,  D.D.,  (assisted  succes- 
sively by  Christian  R.  Kessler,  Wm.  J. 
Mann,  D.D.,  Chas.  Bonekemper,)  Adolph 
Rahn,  and  John  G.  Wiehle,  D.D. 

Christ  Reformed  Church  (English),  now 
worshiping  in  their  elegant  church-build- 
ing, on  Green  street,  near  Sixteenth  street. 
Organized  on  September  15th,  1859,  m 
a  public  hall,  corner  of  Broad  and  Spring- 
Garden  streets,  with  seventeen  members, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Race  street 
congregation.  They  met  for  the  first  time 
in  the  basement  of  their  new  church  on  Jan. 
2d,  1 86 1 — building  dedicated  Christmas-day, 
1865.  Pastors:  Revs. Samuel H.  Giesy, D.D., 
Joseph  H.  Dubbs  and  Geo.  H.  Johnston. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       9 1 

Trinity  Reformed  Church  (English),  lo- 
cated in  their  fine  structure  of  brown 
stone  at  Seventh  and  Oxford  streets.  Or- 
ganized in  the  Hall  of  American  Mechanics, 
Fourth  and  George  streets,  in  June,  1867, 
with  a  number  of  members,  formerly  from 
the  Race  Street  Church,  then  living  in  that 
vicinity.  They  entered  their  new  church- 
building  on  February  6th,  1870 — dedication 
took  place  on  Easter  Sunday,  1872.  Rev. 
D.  E.  Klopp,  D.D.,  pastor. 

Heidelberg  Reformed  Church  (English), 
was  organized  on  October  nth,  1868, 
largely  with  members,  formerly  connected 
with  the  Race  Street  congregation.  Their 
new  chapel,  on  the  N.  E.  corner  of  Nineteenth 
and  Oxford  streets  was  dedicated  on  Jan.  1 8th, 
1874.     Rev.  W.  C.  Hendrickson,  pastor. 

The  following  named  congregations  of 
Philadelphia,  are  also  connected  with  the 
Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States 
though  they  do  not  trace  their  origin  so 
directly  to  the  Race  Street  Church : 

Zioris  (German),  Sixth  street  above  Girard 
avenue ;  was  organized  by  Rev.  Charles  Bone- 


92  HISTORY  OF  THE 

kemper,  in  1852,  with  members  from  the  Sa- 
lem's congregation.  Pastors :  Rev.  Charles 
Bonekemper  and  Nicholas  Gehr,  D.D. 

Bethlehem's  (German),  Kensington.  How- 
ard above  Thompson  street.  Organized  by 
Rev.  H.  A.  Friedel,  on  Oct.  8th,  1852,  in 
Phoenix  Hall,  on  Thompson  street  below 
Front,  South  side.  The  membership  also 
came  largely  from  the  Salem's  congregation. 
Pastors :  Revs.  H.  A.  Friedel,  J.  Gantenbein, 
G.  E.  Gramm,  J.  G.  Neuber. 

Emanuel's  (German),  Weisert  street, 
Bridesburg.  Organized  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Neu- 
ber, in  1 86 1 — church  dedicated  in  1863. 
Pastors:  Revs.  J.  G.  Neuber,  Emanuel 
Boehringer,  John  Gantenbein,  John  C.  Bein- 
hauer,  J.  Dahlman,  Sen.,  Christian  Keller. 

St.  Stephen's  (German),  Corinthian  avenue 
below  Poplar  street.  Organized  in  1864, 
with  fifty  members,  by  Rev.  Abraham 
Romich,  the  only  pastor. 

St.  Pauls  (German),  S.  E.  corner  of 
Seventeenth  and  Fitzwater  streets,  was 
organized  in  February,  1864.  Pastors: 
Revs.  J.  C.  Hauser,  J.  Gantenbein,  J.  Roeck. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.       93 

St.  John's  (English),  Haverford  avenue 
above  Fortieth  street.  Organized  in  school- 
room of  Prof.  Hastings,  at  Thirty-fourth 
street  and  Powelton  avenue,  on  October  ist, 
1865.  The  congregation  built  a  chapel  on 
Thirty-fifth  street  above  Powelton  avenue, 
the  corner-stone  of  which  was  laid  May 
2 1  st,  1866 — dedicated  on  Nov.  4th  of  the 
same .  year.  The  chapel  where  they  wor- 
ship at  present,  was  purchased  Sept.,  1873. 
Pastors:  Revs.  Albert  G.  Dole,  George  B. 
Russell,  D.D.,  John  G.  Noss. 

Emanuel's  (German),  West  Philadelphia. 
Organized  by  Rev.  N.  Gehr,  D.D.,  and 
Licentiate  Jacob  Dahlman,  in  the  chapel  on 
Story  street  below  Thirty-eighth  street; 
at  which  time  Rev.  Jacob  Dahlman  became 
the  pastor.  The  congregation  built  their 
church  at  the  corner  of  Baring  and  Thirty- 
eighth  streets  in  1872,  and  dedicated  it  on 
the  1 8th  of  May,  1873.  Pastor:  Rev. 
Jacob  Dahlman. 

St.  Mark's  (German),  Fourth  and  York 
streets,  was  organized  with  76  members  on 
the  nth  of  February,  1876,  in  the  chapel 


94  HISTORY  OF  THE 

where  they  at  present  worship — a  mission 
of  the  Zion's  Church. 

It  is  proper  to  add  in  this  connection, 
that  the  First  Reformed  Church,  located  at 
Seventh  and  Spring  Garden  streets,  and  the 
Second  Reformed  Church,  located  on  Sev- 
enth above  Brown  street,  though  connected 
with  another  denomination — the  Reformed 
Church  in  North  America — were  originally 
organized  with  members  largely  from  the 
old  Race  Street  Church.  The  circumstances 
of  their  organization  are  given  in  the  pre- 
ceding history. 

Ecclesiastical  Connection  and  Retrospect. 

The  fact,  that  the  two  denominations 
bearing  the  Reformed  name  in  this  country, 
come  in  contact  with  each  other  in  Phila- 
delphia, has  led  to  some  confusion  in  the 
past.  The  church,  the  history  of  which  is 
given  in  full  in  the  preceding  pages,  has 
been  known  as  the  First  Reformed  Church 
of  Philadelphia,  for  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  It  is  also  sometimes  called  the 
Race  Street  Reformed  Church,  because  it 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.        95 

has  occupied  the  lot  on  Race  street  below 
Fourth  street  since  1747.  Its  denomina- 
tional connection  is  with  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States,  (formerly 
known  as  the  German  Reformed  Church), 
having  its  churches  and  institutions  of  va- 
rious kinds  located  chiefly  in  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland,  Ohio  and  other  Southern  and 
Western  States.  Its  sole  doctrinal  stand- 
ard, and  confession  of  faith  is  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism,  its  government  is  Presbyterial 
with  a  rotating  eldership. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  North  America, 
formerly  known  as  the  Reformed  Protest- 
ant Dutch  Church,  has  its  churches  in  this 
city  at  Seventh  and  Spring  Garden,  Seventh 
and  Brown,  and  Tenth  and  Filbert  streets. 
It  is  distinguished  from  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States,  by  holding  as 
its  doctrinal  standards  the  Canons  of  the 
Synod  of  Dort,  and  the  Belgic  Confession 
in  connection  with  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism. Its  general  locality  lies  Eastward 
and  Northward  in  New  Jersey,  New  York 
and  Michigan. 


96  HISTORY  OF  THE 

The  confusion  arising  from  the  similarity 
of  these  two  denominations,  both  in  name 
and  doctrine,  government  and  custom  was 
a  source  of  difficulty  in  the  earlier  history 
of  the  Race  Street  Congregation.  We  can 
trace  its  influence  in  the  controversy  of  Mr. 
Boehm  with  the  Moravians  and  others,  in 
the  troubles  between  Mr.  Schlatter  and  Mr. 
Steiner,  in  the  difficulty  with  Mr.  Rothen- 
biihler,  and  in  the  agitations  connected  with 
the  change  of  language.  In  each  case  there 
seems  to  have  been  a  misunderstanding  as 
to  the  relation  that  these  Palatinate,  or  High 
Dutch  congregations  of  Pennsylvania  sus- 
tained to  the  Low  Dutch  churches  in  New 
York,  and  through  them  to  the  Reformed 
Church  of  Holland.  The  pioneer  German 
Reformed  ministers  were  compelled  to 
appeal  for  aid,  and  in  some  cases  for  ordi- 
nation, to  the  only  Reformed  neighbors  they 
had,  the  Low  Dutch  ministry  in  New  York. 
A  number  of  interesting  papers  belonging 
to  the  archives  of  the  Collegiate  Reformed 
[Dutch]  Church  in  New  York,  were  trans- 
lated a  few  years  ago  by  the  Rev.  T.  W. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.        97 

Chambers,  D.  D.  They  give  us  a  glimpse 
of  the  relation  subsisting  between  the  two 
Churches,  at  an  early  day,  and  incidentally 
confirm  the  statements  we  have  given  regard- 
ing the  first  organization  of  the  Reformed 
Church  here  in  Philadelphia.  They  are 
printed  in  full  in  the  Mercersburg  Review 
for  October,  1 876. 

From  this  document  it  appears  that  Mr. 
Boehm  arrived  in  this  country  as  early  as 
the  year  1720.  Having  been  Schoolmaster 
and  Foresinger  in  Worms,  a  city  of  Ger- 
many, for  about  seven  years,  he  found  a 
demand  for  his  services  as  Reader  (Voorle- 
zer)  upon  his  arrival  here.  The  Reformed 
people  around  him  were  destitute  of  the 
means  of  grace,  and  he  became  a  sort  of 
pastor  to  them,  without  receiving  any  com- 
pensation for  his  services.  So  well  did  he 
perform  these  services  for  the  destitute 
Reformed  people,  that  they  besought  him 
to  assume  the  functions  of  the  ministerial 
office.  This  he  did  in  1725,  receiving  as 
compensation  only  the  voluntary  contribu- 
tions of  the  people. 
9 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE 

When  Mr.  Weiss  arrived  here,  he  visited 
the  Skippach  congregation,  and  preached 
there.  This  brought  him  into  collision 
with  Mr.  Boehm,  who  had  occupied  that 
point  in  connection  with  Falkner's  Swamp, 
and  White  Marsh.  Some  of  the  people 
discredited  Mr.  Boehm's  ministerial  acts 
because  he  was  not  ordained,  and  wished 
to  retain  Mr.  Weiss  as  their  regular  min- 
ister. This  resulted  in  an  application  from 
Mr.  Boehm  and  his  consistories  to  the 
ministers  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
in  New  York  for  recognition  of  his  former 
ministerial  acts,  and  for  his  ordination — 
dated  July,  1728. 

The  appeal  was  forwarded  to  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam,  and  a  favorable  answer  was 
returned,  dated  June  20th,  1729.  The  min- 
isters in  New  York  were  authorized  to 
ordain  Mr.  Boehm,  and  recognize  the  vali- 
dity of  his  ministerial  acts,  upon  condition 
that  he,  "  shall  accept  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism and  all  the  Doctrinal  Standards  as  the 
strict  rule  of  his  ministry,  and  will  submit  to 
the  Church  Order  of  the  Synod  of  Dor- 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.      99 

trecht."  In  November  of  the  same  year 
Mr.  Boehm  with  the  three  Commissioners 
from  his  charge  repaired  to  New  York,  and 
gave  to  the  ministers  there  a  pledge  in 
writing  that  they  accepted  the  conditions 
imposed  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and 
were  ready  to  fulfill  them  in  the  name  of 
their  respective  congregations.  This  was 
formally  carried  out  on  November  18th, 
and  the  ordination  took  place  on  the  Sunday 
following — November  23d,  1729. 

At  this  time  a  reconciliation  was  effected 
between  Mr.  Boehm  and  Mr.  Weiss,  who 
was  also  present,  respecting  their  troubles 
at  Skippach.  The  quaint  language  runs  as 
follows:  "After  that  Do  Johan  Philips 
Bohm,  had  under  the  persistent  pressure  of 
the  Reformed  High  Dutch  Congregations 
at  Falkner's  Schwamp,  Schipback  and  Wit 
Marshen,  in  the  year  1725,  assumed  the 
office  of  their  minister  without  ordination 
according  to  the  usage  of  the  Churches, 
there  arose  in  1727,  a  grievance  concerning 
this,  and  some  in  the  congregation  of  Schip- 
back  were   induced   to   abstain    from    Do 


100  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Bohm's  ministry,  and  to  accept  for  their 
accustomed  minister,  Mr.  Georg  Michiel 
Weiss,  who  had  come  over  from  Germany, 
and  was  recognized  by  them  as  a  regularly 
ordained  clergyman,  as  he  was  placed  over 
the  Reformed  High  Dutch  Congregation  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  and  at  Germantown. 
Since  this  some  estrangement  has  arisen 
between  them."  Mr.  Weiss  conceded  that 
the  Classis  had  done  right  in  endorsing  Mr. 
Boehm's  ministerial  acts,  and  in  authorizing 
his  ordination.  This  resulted  in  a  complete 
reconciliation,  and  hearty  expressions  of 
fraternal  regard  between  the  two  ministers 
were  recorded.  It  is  added,  "That  Do 
Weiss,  declares  his  heartfelt  desire  to 
become  subordinate  to  the  Reverend  Classis 
of  Amsterdam,  and  requests  the  minister's 
correspondent  to  write  to  the  Reverend 
Classis  to  that  effect,  and  testifies  that  he 
is  ready  and  willing  to  comply  with  their 
Church  orders  when  sent  over  to  him. 
And  that  Do  Weiss  also  binds  himself  to 
endeavor  to  bring  his  congregation  in  Phila- 
delphia and  Germantown,  into  like  subordi- 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.     IOI 

nation."  As  Mr.  Weiss  never  resumed  his 
ministry  in  Philadelphia,  he  did  not  carry 
out  the  last  named  specification  of  this 
agreement. 

The  relation  that  these  two  denominations 
sustained  to  each  other  at  an  early  day  is 
only  significant  to  us  now  as  a  historical 
question.  Yet  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
the  series  of  troubles  that  befel  the  Race 
Street  congregation  during  its  early  history 
may  have  been  induced  in  great  part,  by 
these  misunderstandings.  They  were  origi- 
nally organized  by  Mr.  Weiss,  as  Palatinate 
Reformed  people  before  he  had  connected 
himself  with  the  Church  of  Holland  in  any 
way.*  Then  Mr.  Boehm  came,  who  was 
thoroughly  loyal  to  the  Holland  Church, 

*  "  Mr.  Weiss  was  sent  into  this  country  by  the  upper  consistory, 
or  Classis,  of  the  Palatinate.  He  came,  it  seems,  with  a  number  of 
people  migrating  thence  at  that  time,  as  the  pastor." — Lives  of 
Fathers,  Vol.  i,  p.  266. 

From  this  statement,  and  the  fact  mentioned  on  the  preceding 
page,  that  Mr.  Weiss  was  recognized  at  Skippach,  in  1727,  as  a 
regularly  ordained  clergyman  placed  over  the  Reformed  Congrega- 
tions in  Philadelphia  and  Germantown,  it  appears  that  the  organi- 
zation took  place  here  in  that  year.  Or  did  Mr.  Weiss  commence 
services  here  with  his  colony  in  Sept.,  1727,  without  formal  organi- 
zation? 

9* 


102  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  under  his  ministry  they  were  called 
indifferently,  Dutch  Calvinists,  High  Dutch 
Reformed,  &c,  by  the  English-speaking 
people  around  them.  Then  Mr.  Schlatter 
came,  clothed  with  extraordinary  powers 
by  the  Holland  Church;  and  the  Steiner 
movement  may  have  been  a  reaction  against 
the  close  rule  of  the  Consistory — this  party 
demanding  that  a  majority  of  the  congre- 
gation should  decide  all  questions  affecting 
their  interests,  by  a  vote.  There  seems  to 
have  been  an  old  Palatinate  party  in  the 
congregation,  who  never  could  submit  grace- 
fully to  Hollandish  rule.  And  whenever  a 
new  issue  presented  itself,  as  in  the  case  of 
Mr.  Schlatter's  trouble,  or  the  trial  with  Mr. 
Rothenbuhler,  or  the  change  of  language, 
there  would  be  parties  ready  to  champion 
either  side. 

This  consideration,  taken  in  connection 
with  the  fact  of  the  prominent  location  occu- 
pied by  this  congregation — on  the  border 
line  between  the  denominations — and  the 
conflict,  which  was  unavoidable  under  the 
circumstances,    respecting    the    change    of 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PHILADELPHIA.     IO3 

language,  will  go  far  toward  explaining  the 
peculiar  troubles  in  this  church.  The  people 
here  were  not  more  quarrelsome  than  others, 
but  the  circumstances  of  their  history  in- 
volved them  in  repeated  trials. 

Concluding  Reflections. 

From  this  hight  of  American  antiquity 
the  venerable  Race  Street  Reformed  Church 
looks  down  upon  the  passing  scenes  and 
wonders  of  our  national  centennial.  She 
has  safely  passed  through  the  periods  of 
trial  and  danger  experienced  during  the 
times  of  the  first  settlement  of  this  country, 
the  Revolutionary  conflict,  the  war  of  1812, 
and  our  final  struggle  for  national  existence. 
All  the  changing  tides  of  thought  and  life 
and  feeling,  that  have  flowed  through  our 
country's  history,  have  been  reflected  here 
in  the  changing  phases  of  this  church 
organization.  In  her  internal  conflicts  also, 
she  presents  a  counterpart — by  her  throes 
in  government  during  her  early  history,  and 
in  her  later  struggles  to  change  the  lan- 
guage of  her  worship,  she  was  moved  by 


104     HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

the  tides  in  the  affairs  of  our  country  set- 
tling, gradually,  toward  the  permanent 
American  form,  and  preparing  for  this  great 
Centennial  Jubilee.  May  her  interests  not 
suffer  in  our  keeping,  nor  her  history  be 
tarnished  by  our  faithlessness,  or  lack  of 
Christian  liberality  and  devotion! 

It  should  be  a  matter  of  rejoicing  to  the 
Reformed  Church  at  large,  that  this  con- 
gregation with  all  its  trials  and  difficulties, 
reaching  through  its  whole  history  nearly, 
has  been  preserved  until  the  present  time 
with  a  good  degree  of  strength  and  hope 
for  the  future.  The  history  of  the  denomi- 
nation, especially  in  its  earlier  phases 
centers  here,  where  the  first  Synod  was 
organized  in  1747,  and  where  the  Tercen- 
tenary Convention  was  held,  in  1863.  And 
on  this  account  and  for  other  reasons,  many 
members  of  the  Reformed  Church  should 
feel  the  deepest  interest  in  her  welfare. 


